Some traders in Zambia are taking advantage of bird flu scare to coerce poultry farmers to sell their chickens at low prices, Times of Zambia reported Wednesday.

Some traders in the country have been going round coercing the farmers to sell the chickens for as little as 1,000 kwacha (about 30 U.S. cents) from an average price of 20,000 (about six dollars), claming that bird flu has broken out in some parts of Africa and is quickly spreading to the southern African country.

Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) executive director Mathews Ngosa was quoted as confirming here Tuesday that PAZ has received reports from the farmers across the country that they are losing millions of kwacha because of the businessmen.

"We have called on all our members and other poultry farmers to ensure that they do not listen to anyone apart from those in authority," he said.

The Health Ministry of the country and PAZ have adequate information on bird flu the poultry farmers could easily access, he said.

He urged the government to launch awareness campaign to curb the problem of the traders stealing from the farmers.

The traders tell the farmers that if they do not sell their chickens they risk having them slaughtered by the government authorities.

Source: Xinhua