KARACHI, May 26: The poultry industry is reported to have suffered a loss of Rs18-20 billion in the last three months owing to outbreak of bird flu at some farms in the Northern Areas in February followed by detection of the virus at poultry farms in Islamabad in the third week of April. The industry suffered a loss of Rs10 billion by the end of last month.

However, the industry is now on a recovery path from the second week of this month, with poultry farm owners raising prices to recover losses. In Karachi, poultry farm owners have increased the price by Rs20 to Rs68 per kg from Rs48 on May 10.

The real jerk to the industry was experienced because of shifting of three persons infected with virus to the hospital in Islamabad last month.

“We are preparing a comprehensive report to asses the losses suffered by the industry from the third week of February on account of bird flu,” Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) central chairman Raza Mehmood Khursan told Dawn from Lahore on Friday.

“We will present the report to the government. The bird flu scare has affected 90 per cent small and medium sized poultry farm owners,” he said, adding that out of this as many as 50 per cent have been wiped out or have changed their business. The remaining 50 per cent farmers would survive because they had poultry bird and eggs in their hands and made flock replacement on time, Mr Khursan added.

The PPA is trying to assess as to how many people have closed down their businesses and how many have lost their jobs in the last three months. As many as 1.2 million people were associated with the poultry industry (directly and indirectly) prior to the bird flu scare in February.

“I think around 600,000 people, directly and indirectly involved with the industry, might have lost their jobs in the last three months owing to closure of many farms,” the PPA chief said.

He ruled out the revival of industry in a short span of time. “Much depends on prices and perception of the consumers in future. If both remain satisfactory then there is a chance of revival in six months to one year,” Mr Khursan said.

“I can say that the perception of 80-90 per cent people is now clear about the bird flu scare,” he claimed, adding that this would help revive the industry.

He also claimed that chicken has returned to the menu list in all government departments, leading restaurants and hotels and armed forces.

Karachi Wholesale Poultry Association general-secretary Kamal Akhtar Siddiqui said the perception of people had changed and sales were satisfactory these days.

He said many farm owners had closed down their business in the last three months, adding that a day-old chicks’ price is now ruling at Rs12 from Rs2-3 last month.