Giving the scares Opinion & Comment / Technical Articles Posted by agrilive on Mar 07, 2004 - 02:08 PM Muzaffar Rizvi Avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease, which may cause up to 100 per cent mortality in domestic fowls. The disease is caused by a virus belonging to the family Orthomyxoviridae. There are many strains of the avian influenza virus some of which cause no clinical signs while others can be devastating to susceptible birds. These virulent strains are referred to as highly pathogenic avian influenza. The current outbreak of avian influenza reported in Pakistan is of the strain H-7 and H-9. How the disease spreads The virus is highly concentrated in the manure and in nasal and eye discharges of infected birds. Direct or indirect contact (likely through drinking water) with migratory waterfowl is the most likely source of infection in commercial poultry species. Farmers can also spread the disease from one farm to the next through contaminated equipment or via faeces on the shoes or clothes. Transmission through the egg is not known to occur, although contamination of the outer eggshell does occur. The poultry industry going through a crisis of its worst form due to bird flu scare. Despite the fact that not a single case of H5NI, the lethal strain of avian influenza virus detected in Thailand and other countries, is found anywhere in Pakistan the industry has almost reached its lowest ebb. Chicken meat is disappearing from dining tables, the poultry market is jittering and people are doing more health check-ups than ever. Gone are the days when chicken meat was used to be the most common diet in routine menu. The disease in the region has brought a panic among the local consumers. The rumours spread through media both electronic and print caused panic among the masses, which decreased the use of chicken meat and demand of eggs to a historic low in the peak season. Resultantly, the chicken meat rates have fallen to an all-time low and the poultry farmers were compelled to sell-out at throw away prices and suffered huge losses worth billions of rupees. Mutton prices have soared. The approximate price of poultry broiler live birds has gone down to Rs 20 per kg from the previous Rs 55 before the outbreak of H-7 and H-9 strains of avian influenza that killed up to 3.5 million birds in poultry farms around the southern port city of Karachi only. The price of a day-old chick also plunged to a historic low. It is available at a price as low as Rs 3 in the market only due to bird flu scare. Similarly, the prices of egg crates prices have plunged to below Rs 500 in contrast to Rs 900 plus before the rumours of avian influenza. According to Pakistan Poultry Association office-bearers, the poultry industry has suffered an approximate loss of Rs 3 billion initially in the past few months. The financial losses may escalate up to Rs 30 billion. They were of the view that the industry would not be able to come out of the crisis in near future, as the poultry-farmers have had to incur crippling losses. The poultry farmers suffered directly and incurred major share of financial losses while hatcheries, poultry feed-makers and associated industries and businesses are indirect target of the bird flue scare and now facing the heat of the crisis. Some hatcheries are temporarily laying-off the staff while feed-makers, veterinary medicines companies and other associated businesses have also revised their strategies in order to cope with the situation. Today, the position is that the poultry industry is still struggling with the bird flu crisis, despite the assurance of World Health Organisations and the government officials who have been iterating on every possible forums that the H7 and H9 strains of avian influenza seems to have been contained. Most people are still not buying poultry products despite the news published in the newspapers that the virus found in Pakistan is neither communicable to human beings nor injurious for health. Many families are getting rid of chicken and forced to become vegetarians as beef or mutton with its ever-increasing prices is only served on special occasions. On marriages and functions, no one is ready to serve chicken dishes. People have switched over to beef, mutton and fish. Thousands of people engaged in chicken selling points across the country have become unemployed. The poultry merchants have nothing to do with their business, as people are reluctant to use chicken meat. With no customers in the market, the sales have dropped. This situation has been going on for over half a month. The medical experts have assured that the country's chicken meat is ok for cooking and people should not hesitate to use poultry products. The situation is still at a standstill and has seen a little improvement. The government officials including the ministers only restricted themselves to issuing press statements but practically did not to adopt measures to motivate people to use the poultry products. Contrary to this some measures damaged the industry a lot more than the rumours. For instance, state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) which used over two tons of chicken daily stopped serving chicken on board in response to passengers' concern over bird flu. The news also appeared in the national press that the Federal Minister for Agriculture and Livestock was not feeling well after eating a chicken dish at a function. This caused more damage to the industry from the rumours spread earlier through international media, which were later flashed by local media. Though, the government has taken a number of measures to curb public fear of avian influenza at a time when the virus was spreading across Asia. Since January 26 this year when the government first acknowledged the outbreak of the disease in Karachi, the officials have been informing people through ads that the avian influenza is only affecting few parts of Sindh province. The consumers in other three provinces have nothing to worry about the bird flu scare especially when inter-province transfer of poultry products was banned on January 28. But there is need to do more in this regard in order to pull the industry out of the crisis. The experts say arrangements should be made to properly identify all strains of the virus so that any risk to human life can be scientifically ascertained. Teams should be constituted to visit all poultry farms and they should supervise the safe and hygienic disposal of the affected poultry. A countrywide media campaign on electronic and print media should be launched to motivate the people and remove their apprehensions regarding bird flu scare. People should also realise the situation and keep in mind that there is no disease existing like bird flu in the country's poultry products. We at this stage need to increase public awareness on mass scale to revive this vital industry of the country. On the losing side Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association, Punjab Abdul Basit said the association has been goading consumers to stay in the fragile market and consume chicken with no fear. He said the virus types traced in Pakistan were H-7 and H-9, which are not known having similarities with H5N1. "The H-7 and H-9 virus is not transferable to human beings and people should feel no fear while using the poultry products," he claimed. He said poultry business is already in a severe crisis and the bird flu reports have worsened the business conditions in past one month. Basit said poultry industry having investment of Rs 80 billion incurred huge financial losses due to bird flu scare. According to initial estimate, the industry suffered Rs 3 billion damage which might goes up to Rs 30 billion in final counting. "The industry is in crisis and still passing through worst conditions, however final estimates would indicate the real situation in next couple of months," he observed. The hatcheries are selling a day-old chick at Rs 2 or 3 these days as compared to the normal rate Rs 20 during this month. Around 15 million chicks hatch daily which reflects that the hatcheries are suffering a loss of millions of rupees daily. Similarly, the poultry farmers are selling live birds for as low as Rs 20 per kilogram against their production cost of Rs 40 plus per kilogram. Billions of rupees investment of poultry feed-makers has blocked due to little or no demand in the market. He feared that if the same situation persists for a few more weeks then chicken meat would disappear from the market and its price would escalate up to Rs 150 per kg. He said that one million people engaged with the industry have been playing a vital role in boosting the national economy by contributing millions of rupees in taxes and providing cheap chicken meat. "If there is no poultry industry the mutton rate would go up to Rs 400 per kg while beef would be available at Rs 150 per kg," he claimed. Basit seeks immediate response from the government in order to save the industry from complete destruction. "The government should compensate the losses of poultry farmers immediately so that they could reinvest in the industry," he demanded. "In Thailand, the government gave $1 to $2.6 per bird in compensation to poultry farmers and the same should be offered to the local industry here in Pakistan," he maintained. In addition to this, the government should extend 10-year tax holiday to the industry and exempt it from all kind of taxes, duties and official levies, he added. Basit said interest free loans to poultry farmers and elimination of import duty on ingredients of poultry feeds could help a lot to put the industry on the right track besides reducing cost of production of poultry bird. There is need to revive the confidence of poultry farmers and consumers as well so that people come forward and reinvest in the industry, he added. Moreover, the high-ups should come out to motivate the people for consumption of chicken meat. He said the President General Pervez Musharraf should address the nation and remove their apprehensions regarding bird flu scare. "In Thailand, Prime Minister publicly cooked chicken and offered it to millions of people on road only to encourage the public for using chicken meat," he added. He said the poultry industry has a great potential and if bird flu scare does not strike again the investment in the industry could double in the next couple of years. He further said that agriculture sector would also hit badly if the poultry industry remains in crisis for a long time. Static no more! Fast food restaurants claim that the situation is coming back to normal as their sales are no more affected with the bird flue scare. They admitted that the issue hit their business to some extent in recent days, but now the people visiting the restaurants feel no hesitation to eat chicken, may be plain or added into some other food. Secondly, they say that the chicken they use in dishes either produced locally or imported is free from all types of virus. They said a wrong impression was created that consumption of poultry and poultry products are not safe for human consumption, which caused panic among the public and they start avoiding chicken use. However, as soon as the impression is over, gradually people coming back to fast food chains and demand chicken dishes. Talking with The Nation, an official of McDonalds said the restaurant felt the heat of bird flu scare couple of weeks back due to reluctance of chicken use by the people. "We experienced 15-20 per cent drop in sales for a short while when the media was flashing news about the disease in Pakistan and other countries," he said adding that the situation improved quickly and now they are doing normal business. He said the use of beef and fish was increased but now the chicken sale is again picking up momentum. "We introduced new chicken product on the 14th of the month and it is getting popularity day by day denying the bird flu scare among the fast food lovers," he claimed. To a question, he declined to explain monetary losses, saying business normally used to face ups and down. Another official of AFC, a fast food restaurant of fried chicken, informed this scribe that bird flu scare hit the business to some extent gone, but there is no such fear among the people now. "The bird flu virus news coupled with long weekend and Eid caused little slump in daily transactions but the things are now start improving this week," he added. He said there is need to dispel the impression of bird flu scare as soon as possible so that the people could use the chicken freely. He said after proper cooking chicken is safe for human consumption and there is no need to worry in this connection. "We only provide chicken dishes in our restaurant and people are using them with full confidence and without hesitation," he claimed. To a question, he said only few people visiting the restaurant enquire about the bird flu scare and hardly anybody leaves without placing the order. DR KHALID MAHMOOD SHOUQ (D.V.M) http://www.masterytv.biz/agrilive http://www.mybiznas.com/agrilive EDITOR IN CHIEF THE VETERINARY NEWS & VIEWS [WEEKLY] 392-A, SAMANABAD FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN TEL.0092 41 665392FAX, 0092 41 665392 MOBILE, 0300 6620616-0303 6711581-82 E-MAIL: newsviews@bremail.com HTTP.pakissan.com http://www.freegb.net/readbook.cgi?24311 This article is from World Veterinary Association   http://www.worldvet.org/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.worldvet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1649