The Western Region yesterday recorded the outbreak of its first bird flu disease at Beahu in the Ahanta West municipality.
This brings to five the number of regional outbreaks this year.
All the 300 birds in a small-scale poultry farm, together with their feeds, were destroyed by veterinary workers, with the coops, ground and other poultry related equipment fumigated.
To help control spread of the disease, all farmers in the region have been advised to report the slightest suspicion such as dullness of their birds to veterinary workers. They have also been advised to stop colleague poultry farmers , friends and relations from visiting their farms. Again, poultry farmers have been advised to always ensure that their workers adhere to safety protocols.
No cause for alarm
But Napoleon Agyeman Oduro, national vice-chairman of the farmers’ association, says there is no cause for alarm, and assured consumers that all poultry products on the market are wholesome. He said no farmer would bring unwholesome products to the market, adding that every single egg or fowl brought for sale is safe for consumption.
Mr Oduro said Western Region is the 4th largest producer of poultry products in the country and that nothing would be done to mar this enviable position.
In an interview with journalists, he said the association is pushing for compensation for affected farmers.
Support
He indicated that the 300 birds destroyed at Beahu, for instance, would have fetched the farmer between GHC18,000 to GHC20, 000, but all this money had gone down the drain.
Wondering how the farmer can now cater for his family and also honour other responsibilities in this Covid-19 era when things are very tough, Mr Oduro said he definitely needs compensation from government to reposition himself.
He lamented that the poultry industry had been severely hit by Covid-19 with majority of farmers losing their income.
He said quantities of eggs which were left unsold went bad, and had to be destroyed during the lockdown period. He also cited inadequate or high cost of feed as another factor crippling the poultry industry.
