Pune: Bird Flu Breaks Down Poultry Industry, Demand Drops By 90%
Pune, January 21, 2021: 4,351 birds have been found dead in Maharashtra during the last 24 hours. With this, the number of birds dying of bird flu has increased to 8273. Three thousand seven hundred hens and chickens are dead in the Sanwargarh taluka of Yavatmal. Cases of bird flu have been reported at 17 locations including districts of Pune, Mumbai, and Thane.
Given the increasing risk of bird flu in Pune, Pune Municipal corporation (PMC) has ordered all ward officers to start a checking campaign from Wednesday. Additional Municipal Commissioner Rubal Agarwal said that the PMC had received information about crows and pigeons’ deaths in different parts of the city. Testing samples of many places are yet to come. Pune residents have been appealed to call on 18001030222 and inform about birds’ death in the city.
The growing risk of bird flu has broken the poultry business in Maharashtra. Kavita Mitkar, who runs a poultry farm named ‘Red Fresh Chicken’ in the Bhor area of Pune, said that business has reduced by 90 percent due to bird flu. After the lockdown, where a kilo of chicken was being sold for Rs 250, now it has reduced to Rs 50-60.
Mitkar further said that it costs 80-85 rupees to prepare chicken, but it is being sold for 50 rupees. “We have also halved their feed. Till now, we are feeding them only once a day. Sometimes they are only given wheat or other grains.”
Mitkar added that if a similar situation prevails for the next 15 days, she may have to close business. She has appealed to the government to come forward and help the people involved in the poultry business.
