February 5, 2004

 

 

Taiwan Take Steps To Boost Confidence In Chicken

 

The Taiwanese government took steps to assure consumers that Taiwanese poultry was free of the bird flu strain that has claimed human lives in Asia by eating fried chicken on Thursday.

 

Although Taiwan hasn't reported any cases of the bird flu strain linked to at least 15 deaths in the region, a few farms have been infected with a milder strain of avian influenza, which hasn't jumped to humans, and the island's chicken farmers are complaining that people are panicking and avoiding poultry.

 

To help bolster the industry, Premier Yu Shyi-kun and ruling party lawmakers nibbled on pieces of fried chicken and slurped bowls of chicken soup during a televised news conference.

 

"Don't worry. Taiwanese chicken is safe to eat," said Yu, the island's No. 3 ranking leader. "In case it's not safe someday, we'll tell you so."

 

Several countries have banned imports of Taiwanese chicken because of the detection of the milder strain, called H5N2. Taiwan has slaughtered nearly 98,000 birds with the virus.

 

The strain that caused the deaths in Thailand and Vietnam is called H5N1. The outbreak has led to the slaughter of about 50 million birds in China, Japan, South Korea and several other places.

 

Taiwan produces about 26 million chickens a month, mostly for local consumption.

 

One chicken vendor told CTI Cable News that his business was suffering because of bird flu fears.

 

"I used to sell 200 chickens a day. In the past 10 days, I sold fewer than 20," said the vendor, sitting among cages of cackling hens and roosters.

 

Huang Pei-kun, a chicken farmer in southern Yunlin County, said chicken sales in the county have plunged 80%. He had to continue feeding his 200,000 chickens because he couldn't think of a way to get rid of them.

 

"I have been in this business for 18 years, and things have never been so bad," Huang said.

 

Wu Chuan-chin, head of the Taiwan Chicken Farmers'; Association, said the group was negotiating with the government about compensating farmers if they are forced to shut down their farms.

 

If their demands aren't met, hundreds of farmers will stage a protest in the capital, Taipei, next week, Wu told reporters.

 

But Wu said Taiwan may also benefit from the bird flu outbreaks in 10 other Asian countries and territories. Indonesia has ordered 430 metric tons of Taiwanese chicken to be delivered next week, he said.