Beijing poultry market sales fall on bird flu scare

Beijing's poultry stalls are losing out in sales due to the recent bird flu cases, despite the improved hygiene standards.

Beijing Dongjiao Market's poultry stalls are unable to attract as many buyers as before, as many consumers had been staying away from poultry for the past two months, said vendors.

As a result, the poultry stalls are now dependent on bulk sales to restaurants which had helped vendors to make ends meet, said a vendor.

The Ministry of Health said eight people have contracted bird flu this year.

Prices have been much lower than usual although many customers have been buying poultry meat during the Spring Festival holidays, said the vendor.

The vendor said they used to sell 400kg of chickens per day, but that had since dropped to 250kg and profit has declined by half.

The Beijing municipal industrial and commercial bureau banned live poultry sales in the city immediately after bird flu claimed its first victim.

A vendor at Yuegezhuang Wholesale Market, said he used to buy between 800-1000 skinned chickens per month, but now buys only 120. The same vendor has resorted to price cuts and sales of milk, eggs and other products to offset the poor poultry sales.

Consumers are still buying poultry, but prefer trusted stores and brands such as Carrefour or Walmart.