September 10, 2013

Due to the current outbreak of bird flu in the country, Nepal's poultry industry incurred losses of NPR7 billion (US$67 million).

Driven by the outbreak of H5N1 in the Kathmandu valley and other parts of the country, thousands of small and large-scale businesses have gone out of business citing insecurity.

The loss in the poultry sector contributes nearly 4% to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and is likely to cause a big deficit in the country's economy. Poultry producers have also complained about the lack of appropriate steps to control the bird flu from the government.

Chairman of Eggs Producers' Association Shiva Ram KC said that the years-long efforts of poultry farmers have all been in vain following the bird flu outbreak.

Due to the bird flu outbreak, the poultry business in the country was pushed back four decades, which has prompted a sharp drop in chicken because of rumours spread in the market, KC said. 

Likewise, Chairman of Nepal Chicken Market Management Association Shankar Kandel said that supply of chicken and eggs to the capital city from Chitwan has dropped to almost zero, whereas the daily supply of chicken from Chitwan to Kathmandu valley used to stand at 15 to 20 tonnes.