KHOST CITY - Poultry-farm owners in southeastern Khost province have suffered millions of afghanis losses after the threat of influenza virus forced ban of chicken meat supply.
Earlier, a research team from Kabul has found flu virus in crow carcasses in Khost province. For the past few weeks, crows were found dead in different parts of Khost an issue that raised concern about a possible epidemic outbreak among local residents.
The team from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) dispatched samples taken from the birds to the animal diseases laboratory in Kabul and the tests showed the crows had died of influenza.
Poultry-form owners said the spread of virus had caused millions ofafghanis loss to their business and warned that many poultry-farms would be closed if the situation persists.
Eng. Hakeem Wali, the owner of a poultry-farm, said no signs of influenza could be found in chickens grown by him but the agriculture ministry still banned them to be sold in the market.
“On Thursday the agriculture ministry team arrived here and extended ban on the supply of poultry to other provinces for another 21-day, but no signs of the virus could be found in chickens,” he said.
Dr. Jalil Shah, head of the poultry-farms union, said currently 500 poultry farms were functional in Khost that produced 750,000 chickens to the market once in 40 days.
“One hundred thousand chickens are supplied to Paktia, Paktika, Ghazni and Logar provinces and the closure of those farms that supplied chickens to these provinces are faced with the threat of closure,” he warned.
Jalil also said no sign of influenza was found in the chickens but the ministry maintained ban on the supply of chickens to other provinces.
Dr. Naqibullah, former head of the agriculture department and specialist of livestock diseases said no influenza virus existed in Khost and the crow carcasses were poisoned.
He added he guaranteed that there was no virus in Khost, saying continued ban on the supply of chickens would create economic problems.
But Agriculture Department Director SaifullahStanikzai said the type of influenza virus found in chickens was deadliest for birds and humans.
“Yesterday we sent died crow carcasses to Kabul for examination. We took serious steps to control the influenza and stop its spread to other birds and humans,” he said.
The team from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) dispatched samples taken from the birds to the animal diseases laboratory in Kabul and the tests showed the crows had died of influenza.
Jahangir Miakhel, the team leader, told Pajhwok Afghan News the influenza had been confirmed in the birds, but it was not known yet if the virus could infect other animals and humans.
He said researches were underway for further information, but serious heed should be paid to chicken meat produced in Khost. (Pajhwok)