Chinese poultry farmers in coronavirus stricken province destroying birds
BEIJING, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Some poultry farmers in the province at the heart of China’s coronavirus outbreak are having to euthanise young birds as new rules to contain the disease have paralysed the transport of feed supply and live animals to slaughterhouses.
The ban on the movement of live poultry, believed to be a potential disease risk, has stopped farmers in Hubei from getting chickens and eggs to market.
Hubei is home to Wuhan city, where the coronavirus was first identified. The epidemic has now killed 426 people and infected more than 20,000 nationwide.
Lacking feed for their birds, some farmers are feedng them less, while others are destroying some of their flock, according to a Hubei Poultry Association official, who declined to be identified as he is not authorised to talk to media.
“So many young birds were safely disposed of,” said the official, who didn’t say how many had been killed or how.
Last week, the association appealed to the government to allow in feed supplies.
Videos have circulated on Chinese social media this week appearing to show farmers in unspecified locations burying chicks, ducklings and adult ducks alive, as well as eggs. Reuters was unable to verify the videos, or confirm when and where they were filmed.
China produced 22 million tonnes of poultry meat in 2019, up 12% on the year earlier amid a pork shortage caused by African swine fever.
Read full article Share on twitter