THE BIRD flu scare has hit the poultry business hard and around half-a dozen shops have closed down in the city. Sharp fall in consumption of chicken has increased the worries of traders.
However, health officials said there was no need to panic. Nevertheless, poultry traders are under tremendous pressure.
A trader said one quintal of meat used to be sold every day earlier, but now the sale had fallen to merely 10 kg in the last two days.
Hotels and restaurants are not purchasing meat and chicken biryani stalls on roadsides are wearing a deserted look. There are about 30 hatcheries and two dozen feed mills here. Besides, there are over 150 poultry shops, most of which have remained closed since Sunday.
It is the second time in the last three years when the bird flu scare has hit the poultry trade.
A Rapti Nagar-based trader Imran Ahmad said he used to sell 50 kg meat of daily earlier, but was now finding it difficult to get customers for even five to six kg now. Qamruddin, Lalu Nishad, Waseek Ahmad and others said they were searching for another business to earn a livelihood.