Nepalgunj, January 19:

Selling and buying of chicken has decreased by almost 80 per cent in Nepalgunj after the outbreak of bird flu was reported in Jhapa district.

Secretary of Poultry Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (PEO), Binod Kumar Joshi, said that the outbreak of the disease had badly affected the poultry business in Nepalgunj.

According to Joshi, the news had dramatically decreased the sales of poultry products in Nepalgunj, one of the largest consumers of chicken. At least 1800 kg of chicken used to be sold daily in Nepalgunj before the outbreak was reported. In Nepalgunj, meat of broiler chicken has been sold for Rs 180 per kg and local chicken for Rs 260. Joshi said that they did not import broiler chicken from India since it could be bought in cheaper rates here than that of India. “Our business has been badly affected since the local administration did not test our chicken,” he said, demanding the

local administration to test the chickens and

clarify the consumers about the safety of their products. Another poultry entrepreneur Sri Krishna Mahato said the rumour of bird flu had hit them the most, as people had stopped eating chicken.