May 22, 2013

Taiwan launches cash incentive programme for poultry slaughter ban

In order to ensure compliance with a ban on live poultry slaughter at traditional wet markets, Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC) launched a cash incentive programme for poultry slaughterhouses and wet market vendors.

The ban, which will become effective May 17, 2013, was announced as a precautionary measure to deal with the H7N9 avian influenza.

Taiwan authorities introduced the cash incentive programme as a means to not only speed up the transition but also to ensure a stable supply of poultry meat and reduce the impact of the ban on wet market vendors' livelihoods.

Before the May 17 deadline, authority-registered poultry vendors at traditional wet markets will receive TWD15 (US$0.50) from Taiwan's Council of Agriculture (COA) for every bird purchased from a local, approved poultry slaughter facility (with the intent being to reduce the number of bird's slaughtered by the traditional poultry vendors themselves).

Moreover, the COA will also give registered slaughterhouses TWD10 (US$0.33) each day between May 3-16, 2013 for every bird slaughtered above average daily levels - 20% of this incentive will remain with the facility, 80% will go to the live bird distributors, farmers or middlemen.

Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is looking to lessen the ban's impact by providing each legally-registered live poultry vendor a lump sum payment of TWD100,000 (US$3,354) if he or she signs an affidavit to stop dressing live birds at the traditional markets and, instead, agrees to only accept birds slaughtered at licensed facilities.

According to reports, 920 poultry vendors and 79 slaughter houses are eligible for these incentives. Local authorities continue to hold educational seminars and outreach events with the general public and traditional market vendors regarding H7N9 and measures to prevent the spread of H7N9 and other poultry diseases.