Less trading of chickens in Yangon due to bird flu impact

Trading of chickens and eggs on markets in Myanmar's Yangon division has shrunk although sale of poultry bred within the bird-flu-free division is allowed while import of them from other parts of the country is banned, market sources said Sunday.

Few people consume chickens due to impact the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu by March in two divisions in northern part of the country although it was claimed under control.

The chicken prices have fallen totally with few people buying and selling such poultry in bazaars in the Yangon municipal areas.

The sudden fall in the number of poultry consumers has created a loss to chicken breeders and egg producers, livestock breeders complained.

There are 63 million chickens in Myanmar, of which 50 million are bred outdoor in rural areas.

Myanmar reported for the first time on March 13 the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu as some 112 chickens died of the disease on March 8 in a poultry farm in Pyigyidagun township in Mandalay.

Since the outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, Myanmar has placed five townships in Sagaing division and seven in Mandalay division under restriction and movement control of animals, temporary closure of markets and disease investigation into poultry farms were undertaken.

According to the statistics of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department (LBVD), since the outbreak of the avian influenza in early February this year up to April 2, 240,000 fowls and 230,000 quails of 307 poultry farms and 102 quail farms were culled. Altogether 90,000 chicken eggs and 60,000 quail eggs were also destroyed.

Source: Xinhua