April 21, 2004

Canada Poultry Feed Demand Down On Bird Flu

Demand in Canada's poultry feed grain market has declined substantially following the outbreak of bird flu in British Columbia. Industry officials say it will take up to a year for feed grain consumption to fully recover.
 
The B.C. feed industry produces between 550,000 and 600,000 metric tons of poultry feed annually, manufactured mainly from wheat and barley. The grains are railed in from the Prairies. Prior to the avian flu outbreak, about 2,700 metric tons of feed grains were railed daily into the B.C. interior.
 
Immediately following the initial avian flu case there was a drop in poultry feed grain tonnage. Presently, about 1,890 tons of feed grains railed into the region, according to Bruce Cook, secretary of the B.C. division of the Animal Nutrition Association of Canada (ANAC).
 
Cook said any poultry not showing signs of infection will go to market, adding that poultry barns will likely be emptied in coming weeks, and that is when the poultry feed grain market will feel the biggest impact from the downturn.
 
"There has been an initial impact, but the real dramatic drop will not take place for another four to six weeks," Cook said. "There will be a point at which all poultry barns will be emptied, probably in June. At that point there won't be any poultry feeds being consumed."