Bird Flu Costs Mount in Bangladesh

BANGLADESH - Avian influenza has cost the country's poultry industry two billion taka (BDT) in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

25 March 2011

2 minute read

Asia

"The loss will be BDT55 billion if it is estimated from 2007," World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) Bangladesh branch secretary general, Abdus Salek, told a press meeting earlier this week.

BD News 24 reports that bird flu flared up again in the country early this year forcing the authorities to cull over 100,000 chickens.

Mr Salek said: "It's possible for the poultry industry to avoid such colossal loss if the farm owners can maintain cleanliness."

The press meeting was arranged to brief reporters about the upcoming three-day seventh International Poultry Exhibition and Seminar.

Agriculture minister, Matia Chowdhury, is due to inaugurate the event today, 25 March, at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

Farm owners and experts from 23 countries are expected to participate in the exhibition. A total of 246 stands will be set up at the show.

Mr Salek said there was a chance of signing trade agreements involving BDT10 billion during the exhibition. In 2007, trade deals involving BDT7 billion were signed in a similar event.

WPSA's Bangladesh branch head, Abdur Razzaque, said the exhibition aimed at promoting the BDT250-billion poultry sector.