July 7, 2009

Cambodia's chicken farmers are facing bankruptcy and business failures due to the combined factors of rising costs, bird flu and the global economic crisis.

Dozens of chicken farmers said they have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars as they are forced to shut down, and the finger is pointed at the global economic crisis and the possible impact of bird flu.

Chuon Hout, owner of the Poung Peay chicken farm on the outskirts of the capital, said he had lost his investment and his chickens all died from bird flu, adding that the economic woes have dealt him a further blow.

Chuon Huot said at least five chicken farms in his village have closed for the same reasons.

A farmer in Damnak Ampil village in Kandal Province said 25 farms there had closed down. The farmer said production costs have exceeded profit margins, and that raising chickens is no longer viable. 

Chicken farmers in dire state have also resorted to selling their lands.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) said it did not have statistics on the number of farms that has closed down, and was unaware of the employment status.

Sar Sochetra, the office manager in MAFF's department of animal health and production said there are 237 chicken farms breeding the birds for meat, and 45 farming them for eggs.

Sar Sochetra said meat-raising farms have about two million chickens, while egg-raising farms have about 200,000.