Chicken Exports Decline Due to Bird Flu

Close to 50,000 tons of chicken were exported from Iran in the last fiscal year (March 2016-17), down from 80,000 tons the previous year, registering a 37.5% decline, the head of Broiler Breeders Union said.

“The reason for this decline is that poultry and egg exports from the country were banned due to the outbreak of avian flu,” Mohammad Yousefi was quoted as saying by the Persian daily Abrar-e-Eqtesadi.

H5N8, a dangerous strain of the bird or avian flu virus, was first detected in seven provinces late November.

Mehdi Khalaj, the head of Iran Veterinary Organization, announced on Saturday that the outbreak, which had previously spread to 24 provinces across the country, is subsiding, yet this does not mean that it has been completely eradicated.

“Since the migration of birds from the south of the country to the northern regions continues, there are still chances of the outbreak of the disease. IVO is taking all measures to ensure this does not happen,” he was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.

Different strains of bird flu have been spreading across Europe and Asia since late last year, leading to the large-scale slaughter of poultry in some countries.

Iran culled some 12 million chicken since the outbreak of bird flu in the country, up until mid-March.