The chairman of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers has dismissed suggestions that the ban on the movement of poultry and poultry products by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture could adversely affect the poultry industry and its farmers. Mr. Victor Oppong Adjei said the ban is in the interest of the nation to prevent the spread of the bird flu.
He said large scale poultry feed farmers can still with the proof of a permit confirming that their products are safe can still move their products to desired destinations. He said the problem lies more with producers of poultry feed who also double as poultry farmers. He said in that situation, the risk of transmitting the disease from an infected bird to the feed is high.
Mr. Oppong Adjei further added that the problem is global and all efforts must be made to eradicate it. He said the last time Ghana witnessed this bird flu was in 2007 where similar measures were taken to contain it.t
He said there are no Vaccines for the treatment of the bird flu except to destroy the bird to prevent the disease. He called for cooperation from poultry farmers in the effort government is making to eradicate the bird flu.
On the issue of compensating farmers whose birds have been destroyed to curtail the problem, Mr. Oppong said parliament has approved an amount of Ghc 11 m to compensate for the destruction of about 140,000 of the birds, adding that the modalities for the distribution of the money are being worked out.
Source: ritefmonline.org
