Poultry industry in financial crisis

Aurangabad, Feb 9:

About Rs 3 crore turnover from poultry farms in the district has been threatened due to bird flu. Imports from other states are currently closed, and the reduction in export to other states has also decreased, causing financial difficulties to the poultry business.

Assistant commissioner of animal husbandry Dr Prashant Chaudhary said that no hens, crows, parrots, herons or migratory birds had been found dead in any of the villages in the district. Samples of hens are being collected tehsil wise and sent for testing. Samples from four places were negative, and reports of samples from Kannad are awaited. The situation will come to light after the report is received. The district currently has around one million birds. The poultry farm business in the district generates huge financial turnover. There is presently no connection between Navapur and Aurangabad. Transportation of poultry farms from Parbhani is currently closed, he said. Migratory birds have not been found dead near Jayakwadi, Nandur Madhameshwar.

Impact on poultry business

The department has surveyed 250 poultry farms with 5,000 hens and 200 poultry farms with fewer hens in the district. A large number of hens are transported from Aurangabad to Nashik to Mumbai. Birds infected with bird flu have not yet been detected in Jalna and Ahmednagar. So even though Aurangabad is safe at present, the poultry business has been affected.