Bird flu, Jan 10: Poultry prices have taken a hit across states more cases of bird flu are being reported amid measures to deal with yet another crisis in making. The prices of eggs and chicken in the wholesale market have nosedived in the past few days as confirmed cases of bird flu were reported from various parts of the country.
Uttar Pradesh became the seventh state to report confirmed cases while culling began in poultry farms of Haryana’s Panchkula. This comes as more dead birds were reported from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Maharashtra.
According to reports, the wholesale prices of chicken in Maharashtra’s Pune crashed from Rs 82.48 per kg to Rs 58.23 per kg. Likewise, prices of eggs dropped from Rs 550 per 100 pieces on January 1 to Rs 490 per 100 as. Prices declined in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan as well.
Avian Influenza has been reported from Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh amid huge mortality among bird population.
The fall in prices is owing to panic selling by poultry owners and traders owing to increasing cases of Avian Influenza. The latest crisis hit the industry even as it began to witness a demand revival after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The blow for the industry could not have come at a worse time as the peak demand of the year is witnessed during the winter season.
Not just poultry, even prices of bird feed were hit as farmers in Punjab reported that maize which fetched them Rs 2,600 per quintal in 2018-19 is down to Rs 900 per quintal while millet which was sold at Rs 1900 per quintal at the time is now down to Rs 1,350 per quintal.
