February 5, 2020

 

China's poultry farmers affected by coronavirus outbreak

 

Livestock and feed transport blockades, as well as reduced labour have impacted poultry farmersand hatcheries in Hubei and across the country, reported Reuters.

 

In Hubei, poultry farmers have been forced to euthanise young birds as supply of feed and livestock has been halted due to new rules meant to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Transportation of live poultry has been stopped as it is alleged to be a possible disease risk.

 

Hubei poultry association officials said farmers have reduced rations of depleted chicken feed stocks or disposed of birds completely. The association has called on the government to allow feed supplies to enter the region, as farmers are unable to get chicken and eggs to market.

 

Wuhan, capital of Hubei is the heart of the coronavirus, which has since spread throughout the globe.

 

Hubei is an important egg producer in China and produces 500 million poultry annually.

 

China has boosted poultry production amid dwindling swine supplies caused by the African swine fever outbreak. Last year, the country produced 22 million tonnes of poultry, a 12% increase compared to 2018.

 

Analysts said other provinces in China have also been hit hard. Livestock and feed transports cannot pass blockades, which have been constructed to stop the coronavirus from entering.

 

Hatcheries producing day old chicks and ducklings for farmers have been affected because of the transport restrictions. Dong Xiaobo, China general manager for France's Orvia said farmers either cannot or will not purchase new chicks to restock farms due to the restrictions. Orvia is second-biggest supplier of breeding ducks in China.

 

He said prices have dropped to US$0.05 per duckling.

 

In addition, fears of the coronoavirus spreading has resulted in reduced workforce in the country. Pan Chenjun, Rabobank senior analyst said slaughterhouses have been running at reduced capacity as there aren't enough workers.

 

New Hope Liuhe, a top poultry processor in China, said operations have been affected by the delay in its employees returning to work.

 

Pan said supplies of fast-growing meat poultry like chickens will drop in two months. While this might only be short term, the problem might become worse if measures related to the coronavirus are prolonged.

 

-      Reuters