Financial Times

Loss-making rural farmers worry over lower chicken consumption
By Nimesha Herath
The poultry industry in Sri Lanka last week promised safer chicken and urged the public not to renounce consumption as chicken farmers from rural areas already face the prospect of losing their livelihoods due to the drop in demand over bird flu concerns.

There are 75,000 farmer families and 200,000 input providers who are self-employed. If the industry collapses nearly one million people will suffer as a result, officials told a press conference.

Cargills (Ceylon) Ltd, taking the initiative to promote safe chicken consumption in the interest of the poultry industry in Sri Lanka, initiated the media briefing in the form of a panel discussion on the threat of bird flu and the impact of lower chicken consumption on rural farmers.

Cargills, in a statement, said consumers have to be continuously educated on the causes, symptoms, controls and precautionary measures to be adopted. Rural poultry farmers will be badly affected if consumption continues to fall.
Officials urged consumers not to reduce chicken consumption while guaranteeing its safety saying a national plan is already being implemented by the government to take necessary precautionary action.

“There is no bird flu in Sri Lanka and the chances of the disease coming into the country are minimal. We are 100 percent safe to consume chicken, eggs and chicken products. The chicken available for consumption is 100 percent local products.

The World Health Organization says that once the chicken is cooked (properly) there is no possibility of the disease being retained and that humans are not at risk of acquiring H5NI (bird flu virus) infection through food,” said D.D.Wanasinghe, Chairman, All Island Poultry Association speaking at the forum.

The forum was informed that poultry industry stakeholders have invested nearly Rs.184 billion in this industry and pay Rs.200 million in taxes every month.

“Unlike fisheries and other industries, poultry has not been given adequate government support. We are given step-motherly treatment compared to other industries. If we are given some assistance we can bring down prices, expand the industry and create more job opportunities.

In developing the grandparent chicken farms, we will be able to save a large amount of foreign exchange and improve the living status of the people”, Wanasinghe said.

Yakooth Naleem, Managing Director, Bairaha assureds that if there is an outbreak, they will take necessary actions to remedy the situation. Large private companies that manage the poultry industry will continue to support the rural farmers in every capacity.

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