ROURKELA: Even as broiler poultry birds remain unaffected by the bird flu virus, an abrupt drop in consumption of chicken has been noticed over the last 25 days leaving poultry vendors and farmers in the lurch.
Worried with the fall in sale of farm poultry products, the vendors have sought the intervention of administration to inform consumers that the city’s poultry birds are free from virus.
Sources said, the presence of bird flu virus in wild birds was confirmed by the report of National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal on December 31 last year stating that samples of few crows collected from CISF campus of RSP near Bisra Square and a pelican duck of the RSP-run Indira Gandhi Park had tested positive for avian influenza.
Ever since one km radius of these two infected zones are under intense surveillance, while 10 km radius of these areas are under general surveillance. But, from January 8 to 10 a culling drive was taken up at Kacharu village of nearby Kuanrmunda block, about 15 km from Rourkela, after confirmation of bird flu in backyard poultry birds (domestic chickens).
Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) Dr DK Patnaik said, during the three-day culling drive a total of 1,646 adult poultry birds, ducks and chicks along with about 800 eggs were culled. The bird flu virus has not been found in broiler poultry birds across Rourkela city as above 300 samples tested negative.
The administration has not advised people to refrain from eating chicken and egg and only the poultry vendors are asked to maintain sanitation and hygiene, he added. Out of growing awareness, people are refraining from consuming poultry birds at their own. Since Tuesday no deaths of crows was reported in the city, while seven crows had died near Jubilee Park on Monday.
Rourkela Poultry Association Secretary Sanjib Nayak said, owing to the present situation poultry businesses of about 400 vendors of the city and around 100 farmers in and around Rourkela are suffering losses. They have no alternative source of livelihood and the awareness hoardings of the administration containing pictures of poultry birds are inadvertently creating panic among the consumers.