January 31, 2007

Jakarta shifts poultry production to alternative site

Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, is shifting its poultry production 50 kilometres south to Bogor, the country's former capital in an apparent bid to stop bird flu from spreading.

Bogor, the capital during the British occupation, has a total population of three million people. Jakarta has almost triple the population.

Bogor is known for its tea plantations and is surrounded by extinct volcanoes. 

Sutrisno, the head of the health unit of the Bogor Animal Husbandry Agency, said the region had more than enough space to accommodate poultry breeding farms and hatcheries.

This was in response to Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso's statement that he wanted to relocate poultry farms to neighbouring areas like Bogor. Jakarta last week banned backyard poultry percent 2c+backyard+farming) farming and is relocating its poultry industries.

No human bird flu cases had been reported in Bogor.