Bird flu: Business takes a hit in infected zone of Bhubaneswar

Many sellers alleged that the compensation paid to them towards culling was meagre as it does not even match the purchase price.

Poultry shops remain closed after alert of bird flu alert hit Unit-8 market in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. (Photo| Biswanath Swain, EPS) 

BHUBANESWAR: The ban on restocking poultry birds in the one km radius of Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT), which has been declared as infected zone, has left the vendors and businessmen worried over their business prospects.

The government has banned poultry restocking in the area for a 90 days which leaves the vendors in Siripur, Delta Colony, Soubhagya Nagar, Surya Nagar, Forest Park, Satabdi Nagar and other nearby localities largely affected.

A vendor Babar Khan, who has a kiosk at Siripur market said "I have no choice but to work somewhere else as I cannot start any new business just for three months. It would need a lot of investment." Poultry birds in Siripur market were culled by Rapid Response Team. Similar was the case with other poultry sellers in areas close to OUAT.

Many sellers alleged that the compensation paid to them towards culling was meagre as it does not even match the purchase price. To avoid loss, some vendors in Siripur and other nearby areas in the infected zone shut shops and left before arrival of Rapid Response Team.

The Government paid Rs 135 compensation for culling an adult duck, Rs 90 for a layer poultry bird, Rs 70 for a broiler, Rs 20 for a chick and Rs 3 per egg. Besides, Rs 12 was also offered for one kg poultry feed. "The compensation should be enhanced as a poultry bird weighing 2 kg costs us around Rs 250. The wholesale rate of egg is also around Rs 4 to Rs 4.5," said a seller.

Sellers and businessmen in the 10 km radius of the OUAT farm, that have been declared as surveillance zone, raised equal concern about their business prospects. “Though the market price has not yet come down but we fear the worse and if that happens we have to bear huge losses,” said M Ali a chicken seller at Unit IV market in the city.

The current market price of chicken in the city is Rs 180 per kg. In some parts it is also sold at Rs 160/kg. “We are confused whether to keep stock or not because if the prices come down or business is affected we have to sustain loss,” said another poultry trader.