bird flu affect poultry traders

Poultry traders have expressed mixed reactions over the rumours of the outbreak of bird flu in South Asia affecting the sales of chicken. Some say that the industry has been hit hard by the rumours while others disagreed that the decrease in the sales of chicken was normal for the season.

The rumours of the bird flu have severely affected the poultry business, according to Pashupati Dahal, proprietor of Nepal Hatchery and Breeding. "My business has plummeted by 50 percent since the rumours of the bird flu," he told Nepaleyes.

The customers who come to buy chicken return empty-handed with fears and doubts in their mind, he added.

?As the bird flu has not been detected in Nepal, people are worrying in vain. Besides, Nepal has already banned the import of birds from the European countries where flu pandemics have surfaced,? Dahal said.

With the decline in the demand of chicken, the prices have also been decreasing acutely, he said and added, ?The price has decreased by Rs 15 to 20 per kilogram.?

The rumour of the outbreak has reportedly decreased the sale of chicken by 30 percent.

Babu Kazi, sales manger at the Valley Cold Store, however, said that the rumour has not affected his business at all. "A slight decrease in the sales of meat products between Dashain and Tihar is quite normal," he added.