‘Poultry Sector Suffers Over Rs 20m Loss in One Week’
PAKISTAN - Poultry farming, an important sub-sector of livestock, has suffered a loss of over Rs20 million in one week due to reduction in prices as well as low consumption of poultry meat due to fear of bird flu in the province.This was stated by the Mehran Poultry Association (MPA) General Secretary Imtiaz Shaikh at a press conference arranged by the Ghotki Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) here on Monday.
He claimed the bird flu virus did not exist in the province nor in the country so. He advised people to use poultry meat and eggs without fear, adding all possible protective measures, including vaccination and disinfection of farms, had been adopted by the association. A false panic and fear created among the people is affecting the industry, he claimed.
According to him, there is no chance of bird flu, now as the migratory season of birds was over. He said that more than 1000 poultry farms in the province had been destroyed. He added that the samples sent to laboratories did not establish existence of H5H1.
Imtiaz Sheikh said that the poultry industry had made considerable contribution to food production and was playing a vital role in strengthening economy of the country, hence, the government, at this period of crisis, should take practical steps to save the poultry industry, the people running the business and its allied industries.
Source: TheNews