Farmers hit by bird flu count losses

Though the spread of bird flu is being curtailed, poultry farmers in Plateau State whose farms were hit by the disease say it is still a serious threat to the nation’s economy.

The farmers called on government and other relevant authorities to expedite action on the payment of compensation to those whose farms were quarantined.

Moshood Okanlawon, one of the poultry farmers, told the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the disease, which ravaged poultry farms recently had resulted in unemployment, saying the negative economic implications of bird flu on the nation’s economy had a wider impact on the lucrative poultry business.

”The incursion of bird flu has really affected the economy of Plateau and the nation at large because poultry business is very lucrative. “I had 21 workers on my payroll, but I had to disengage them because the disease has left us with no option. I lost over 19,800 birds,” he said.

Speaking further, he said: “The implication of this on the economy has a wider impact because it has affected the farmers that provide us with the crops, the feed millers and finally the poultry farmers.”

Another farmer, Rebecca Okafor, said she had been into poultry farming in the last 18 years, describing it as a very good business, but affirmed that poultry farming had tremendous economic importance, adding that the avian influenza had destroyed the business.

Okafor explained that over 700 of her birds were infected by the disease and her farm was quarantined. “More than 75 crates of eggs and chickens being produced weekly had stopped and I cannot supply manure to local farmers. I am very sympathetic with my workers because most of them earn their living from my farm, but I have no option than to sack them, ” she said.

Similarly, Abdulazeez Qamarudeen said over 3,650 of his birds were infected with bird flu, and called on government to compensate farmers that were affected, saying poultry farming contributed largely to the GDP of the country due to generation of employment and business opportunities.

”This is why government must not neglect this agriculture subsector of the economy because it will be dangerous for the economy,” he said

But Gladys Okafor, public relations officer, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) in Plateau, said the group was doing everything possible to facilitate compensation for farmers whose farms were quarantined. She called on the affected farmers to exercise patience as government was looking into their plight.