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| Sunday, 05 March 2006 |
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Avian flu outbreak would be detrimental to economy by Elmo Leonard An outbreak of avian influenza in Sri Lanka would be detrimental to the nation's economy, including the socio-economy of the rural sector. The livestock sector's current contribution to the GDP is around 0.9 percent, of which 70 percent comes from the poultry industry. Around 75,000 farmer families and 200,000 input providers are self-employed in the poultry industry and around a million people are dependent on the industry as a means of livelihood, president of the All Island Poultry Association, Dr. D. D. Wanasinghe said. Most of those engaged in the poultry industry are women. Many Samurdhi beneficiaries and rural youth have taken to poultry farming. The poultry industry also discourages the migration of people in the rural sector to the cities, it was made out at a forum on 'Facts about bird flu and its impact on the rural economy of Sri Lanka' organised by Cargills (Ceylon) Ltd. Poultry farming is the agri-livestock sector which brings in the highest returns per land area and around 6000 broilers can be reared on 1,000 square feet, annually. A monthly income of Rs. 7,500 from a land area of 1,000 square feet has been estimated. Poultry is an important nutritional source and rich in protein, available for the non-vegetarian, poultry breeders said. Besides, it is a source of organic manure and an import substitution for chemical fertiliser. The poultry industry expects people to go on consuming eggs and poultry meat, to help sustain the industry. Bird flu has not been detected in Sri Lanka. Raising the temperature to 70 degrees Celsius destroys the bird flue bacteria, Prof of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya HW Cyril said. Some doctors have claimed in the international media, including CNN programs, that while avian influenza has been in existence for decades, a mutation of human to human transmission which was highly feared a few months ago could now be put down to superstition. The main health risk currently is to people who are in close contact with infected poultry or families with backyard flocks and poultry workers in wet markets or live animal markets. The main fear among Sri Lankans was the end-February, news of bird flu outbreaks in India. The avian influenza virus has now spread from migratory birds to domestic birds, by way of droppings, in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The EU countries are carrying out large scale vaccinations of poultry. In UK, the thinking is that vaccination is too costly and culling in affected areas, is the solution. In Sri Lanka, in the event of detection of bird flu, depopulating within a radius of three kilometres would be the means employed, director general of the Department of Animal Production and Health, Dr. D. S. R. Amarasekara said. According to the WHO website, the virus, highly infectious among poultry is not easily transmissible to humans. From December 2003, the virus had infected 173 people of whom 93 are reported to have died. No deaths have been linked to the consumption of properly cooked poultry or poultry products. Dr Amarasakera said that there is often panic among local poultry farmers when a chicken dies in the pen and they receive too many requests for help. Poultry farmers should know that in the case of an outbreak of avian influenza, 50 to 80 percent of the birds would die within 48 hours of detection. Sri Lanka has taken stringent steps to prevent the entry of bird flu. Currently the importation of poultry and eggs into the country has been banned. With the detection of bird flu in India, imports of maize from India is banned. India, had been supplying 200,000 tonnes making up 90 percent of maize which go into local chicken feed, annually, which is also banned. The quarantine officers would take action to destroy any consignment of illegal import of any poultry and related products. To balance out the shortage of chicken feed, government has asked for WHO advice on the sterilisation of chicken feed. Migratory birds which remain a few months in the country are now leaving our shores, Dr. Amarasekara said.
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