Slovene Poultry Sales, Production Drops Because of Bird Flu

SLOVENIA - Poultry-processing companies have reported a 20% drop in sales of poultry meat in February and, according to preliminary data, a 15% drop in March in comparison with 2005, after bird flu was first confirmed in Slovenia in early February.

3 April 2006

2 minute read

Poultry Sales, Production Drops Because of Bird Flu - SLOVENIA - Poultry-processing companies have reported a 20% drop in sales of poultry meat in February and, according to preliminary data, a 15% drop in March in comparison with 2005, after bird flu was first confirmed in Slovenia in early February.

According to data from the Chamber of Commerce's food industry association, production of poultry meat was 25% below plans in February and on a par year-on-year, while it was 18% down in March in comparison with March 2005.

Slovenia's largest poultry producer, Perutnina Ptuj, coped with a decrease in sales by reducing the number of its employees, however, only laid off workers with fixed-term employment contracts, which have ran out lately, the company said.

Redundancies will also happen in the country's second largest poultry company, Pivka perutninarstvo, CEO Janez Rebec told STA. While no major dismissals are planned at the moment, the company will "be forced to adjust to the [market] situation", he added.

The company's production is currently 15% below its 2005 levels, Rebec revealed.

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