Flu effect: Scare & care taking turns
Now, poultry-sellers are feeling their business being affected by an unfounded scare despite experts saying there is no need for any panic.
The poultry industry in Bangalore may have been spared of their exports being affected — because there are no exports anyways — but their sole business prospect, the local consumer base, is losing steam with poultry too suspected to be infected by avian influenza.
BR Sainath, zonal chairman, National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC), admits there is a drop in poultry consumption, but is unsure whether that is because of the Dasara-effect, as a sizable population refrains from consuming poultry/non-veg during Navaratri which ended on October 24.
It was the very next day (October 25) when animal husbandry minister Revu Naik Belamagi announced that 3,481 turkeys had died due to avian influenza at Central Poultry Development Organisation & Training Institute, and at least 784 turkeys had to be culled out of fear of the disease spreading to chickens, ducks and emus reared at the institute. The word was out and chicken-eaters across the city were anxious although the chickens were not affected.
That had a telling effect on poultry business. Now, poultry-sellers in the city — kilometres away from CPDOTI, in Hesaraghatta,the epicentre of the disease outbreak — are feeling their business being affected by an unfounded scare despite experts saying there is no need for any panic.
Many Bangaloreans, expressing their fears about consuming and buying chicken and eggs, have decided to opt out from doing so and believe that prevention is better than cure. Asha Bhansal, a concerned citizen says, “We have stopped eating and buying chicken and eggs for the past two days, it’s better to be safe than to be sorry”.
Prashant B, supervisor, Food World on Rhenius Street, says sale of chicken has been hit over the past two days. He says “For the past two days there has been a sharp drop in sale of chicken; it is barely 10-20 per cent sale of normal sales, but the sale of eggs has not been affected.”
While chains like Food World sell frozen chicken, a majority of Bangalore’s population buy dressed or live chicken, the latter more preferred for value for money and hygiene.
But not only frozen chicken, even the sale of dressed chicken and live birds is dropping over an outbreak that has occurred nearly 35 km away. “In the last two days, my business has dropped 50%; by the end of this week it may fall even further down by 60-70%,” says Zaheer Ahmed, owner of Brite Poultry, who sells dressed chicken and live birds.
However, Senthil Kumar, manager, SRS Country Chicken, says “The whole issue of bird flu has so far not affected our business, as we are dealing with country chicken that are bred in a clean and hygienic environment. Only retailers dealing with broilers are living in fear.”
But while chicken sales have been affected, eggs are being consumed regardless. According to NECC figures, Bangalore consumes up to 48 lakh eggs daily while its is 1.25 crore eggs all over the state. In fact, one of the safety guidelines to prevent bird flu among laymen is about safe consumption of eggs. Raw eggs must be avoided and eggs must be consumed only after ensuring that white and yellow of the egg is hard enough — it should not be sift or viscous as that allows the virus to enter the body and play truant.
Chicken should be heated at above 70°C (the temperature above which the H5N1 virus that causes avian influenza cannot survive) for a sustained period, and should not be consumed in a semi-cooked or raw state.
“Fortunately, when there was a bird flu scare the last time around in 2006, we had made note of all this through the awareness campaigns that were run,” says Bharathi Prakash, a home-maker in Indiranagar. “We have been consuming chicken and eggs despite the avian influenza scare now and there is nothing to worry if you take proper care.”
Anyone listening?