Bird flu scare in neighbouring states hits poultry industry

Ballari: Amid soaring temperatures, poultry farmers in Ballari face dual challenges as the outbreak of bird flu in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana sends shockwaves through Karnataka’s poultry sector. Despite no confirmed cases in Ballari, the mere rumours of bird flu have significantly affected the local poultry industry.

The disease scare has caused a dramatic slump in the poultry market. Previously, broiler chicken was sold at`90 per kg in wholesale markets, but prices have now plummeted to`60-70 per kg, leaving poultry farm owners fearing massive financial losses. The egg market has been equally hard-hit. An egg that sold for`5 has dropped to`3.90 over the past week. With rising feed costs and increased expenses in maintaining poultry, farm owners face mounting losses. Durga Prasad, a poultry farm owner in Ballari, expressed concern, highlighting the steep decline in both chicken and egg sales despite no reported cases in the district.

Ballari district, home to 15 poultry farms with over 3 million chickens, is grappling with severe heat. Farmers are investing in cooling methods like sprinklers to prevent chicken deaths, incurring additional operational costs. Dr. Vinod Kumar, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, confirmed that while no cases of bird flu have been detected in Ballari, heightened vigilance is being maintained to prevent an outbreak.

Srinivas, District President of the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), Ballari, stated that the costs of maintaining egg-laying hens are surging, forcing farmers to operate with negligible profits.With bird flu fears impacting consumer demand and soaring operational expenses, poultry farmers in Ballari find themselves in a precarious situation, urging government intervention tostabilize the sector.