People are hesitant to consume poultry products due to reports of bird flu in neighboring districts.
District Agriculture Development Offices (DADOs) of both the districts have clarified that no trace of avian influenza has been found in the districts so far.[break]
“We are compelled to keep chicken ready for market in the farm because price is falling due to low demand in the market,” Balram Rai, a poultry farmer of Gaighat, Udapur, said.
According to meat traders, the demand for chicken has dropped by as much as 50 percent after bird flu was confirmed in Sunsari district. Himalser Rai, a meat trader at Gaighat said, demand for chicken at his shop has dropped to 250 kg a day, down from average daily demand of 500 kg.
Farmers, who have started poultry farming in remote areas of the districts, have suffered huge losses following reports of bird flu in Sunsari. Keshav Karki, a poultry farmer of Panchawati VDC of Udaypur district, is not finding buyers for 300 heads of chicken in his farm.
“Fowls in my farm are ready for market. But I am not finding buyers because people are hesitant to consume poultry products,” Karki added.
Around a dozen poultry farms are operating in Diktel, the district headquarters of Khotang. Local shopkeepers have reported that average daily sales of chicken in each shop has dropped by as much as 50 percent.
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