Government suspends duck breeding over bird flu fears

The government has suspended duck and quail breeding in an effort to halt the spread of bird flu that has taken the lives of 12 Vietnamese since late by 2004.
The decision comes following this week’s announcement from the United National Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that water fowl, particularly ducks, harbour the infection.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Mard) plans to set a time to suspend breeding, as well as introduce methods to restock poultry production in areas that have successfully stamped out the epidemic.
Director of the Mard’s animal health department Bui Quang Anh said on February 4 that bird flu has so far affected 33 provinces and cities with the necessary culling of over 1.2 million poultry, however, 59 communes from 28 districts in 17 provinces and cities have not reported any new cases of sick poultry over the past 21 days.

 

Category: Finance