March 10, 2004

 

Shanghai to Shut Small Poultry Farms

 

More than 3,000 small livestock and poultry farms in Shanghai will be either moved or closed down as the government intends to better manage the industry hit by a bird flu outbreak in January.

 

In an administrative measure the government is drafting, certain areas in Shanghai will be banned from breeding livestock and poultry.

 

Existing farms in forbidden areas will be closed down, government spokeswoman Jiao Yang said yesterday.

 

"The number of livestock and poultry raised in the city may decline after enacting these measures," Jiao said. "But more products from other provinces will be supplied and the market is expected to be stable."

 

A poultry farm in Nanhui District was stricken by bird flu in January and more than 200 ducks died.

 

Farms with less than 500 pigs, or 100 cows, or 30,000 birds, would no longer be encouraged. There are 971 farms in Shanghai above that standard.

 

"By encouraging scaled operations, the measure aims to prevent animal disease spread and seek better environmental protection," said Jiao.

 

While details of the measure were still under discussion, Jiao said the draft would divide the city into three parts: the forbidden breeding area, a restricted breeding area and the planned breeding area. Borders have not been finalized.

 

The draft measure also requires farms to keep files of everything ranging from quarantine to sales, so that livestock can be traced if quality issues arise.

 

The city also took the nations's lead in requiring local farms to use medicine under guidance of veterinarians and record the medication used.

 

The law also forbids feeding livestock and poultry with hogwash and animal waste.