December 19, 2008

Bird flu could lower India poultry, egg exports by 50 percent

In view of the second bird flu outbreak in India this year, the country's poultry and egg exports could plummet by 50 percent compared to last year's level, according to Poultry Federation of India president Jagbir Singh on Thursday (Dec 18).

Bird flu has affected poultry in the eastern states of Assam and West Bengal over the past month.

India is one of the world's top three egg producers and among the biggest twenty producers of poultry. It already exported Rs3.5 billion (US$74 million) of poultry and poultry products, including eggs this year.

Domestic consumption of poultry and egg products could also be hit.

India's annual domestic consumption of poultry and poultry products, are worth over Rs300 billion (US$6.32 billion).

Shashi Kapoor, a senior member of Poultry Federation of India, said that prices of chicken and eggs have fallen by 10 to 20 percent in various parts of the country.