The domestic poultry industry has registered a loss of Rs 7,000 crore due to the panic reaction following the localised bird flu outbreak, according to an apex poultry industry body.
"Estimated loss to poultry and allied industries stands at Rs 200 crore per day," Vice President of Poultry Federation of India (PFI) AP Sachdev said.
The cumulative loss stands at Rs 7,000 crore for last 35 days since the bird flu outbreak, he added.
This estimate includes loss to broiler, layer, egg, feed, breed, pharma segments and also loss of transport and other dependent industries, Sachdev said.
"The industry loss was due to drop in sales due to panic reaction to the localised outbreak at Navapur in Maharashtra," Sachdev said.
President of PFI in North Zone, Shabbir A Khan said price of chicken in wholesale market has come down drastically affecting the small poultry farmers.
Chicken priced at Rs 32 per kg in wholesale market before the outbreak is now selling at Rs one in Pune, Rs five in Mumbai and Hyderabad, Rs 10 in Delhi and Rs 14 in Coimbatore.
"This drop in price is due to wrong perception about bird flu," he said adding, "it is safe to eat well-cooked poultry products including chicken and eggs."
{{/usCountry}}"This drop in price is due to wrong perception about bird flu," he said adding, "it is safe to eat well-cooked poultry products including chicken and eggs."
{{/usCountry}}To remove doubts from the minds of consumer, Khan quoted that the US-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study said: "There is no evidence that any human case of avian influenza has been acquired by eating poultry products."