November 25, 2005

Bird flu has little impact on global feed grain trade
 

The impact of the most recent outbreak of bird flu on world feed grain trade so far has been relatively small, the International Grains Council (IGC) said in its November report Thursday.

But IGC also said that "its recurrence, and particularly any significant spread of the disease to humans, could have worldwide implications for poultry production and the sector's feed needs".

The most recent outbreak of bird flu, which started in East Asia in 2003, is the most serious on record, the IGC said.

The agency said some 150 million birds-mostly domestic poultry-have been destroyed worldwide. However, after the initial drop in numbers, poultry flocks recovered quickly in areas where the disease was controlled, the report said.

The impact on feed use was also raised by consumer sensitivities about the safety of eating poultry products, but this was offset in some countries by increased consumption of other meats, the IGC said.