The Union government will continue to adopt the policy of 'surveillance, sampling and stamping' to tackle the bird flu problem, according to Arvind Kaushal, joint secretary, ministry of agriculture. | |
| Addressing a national seminar organised here by the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), Kaushal emphasised that the government was bound to adopt the above policy as per the guidelines of the WTO agreement and World Health Organisation. |
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| SEA organised the seminar for popularisation of oil meal usage in compound cattle, poultry and aqua feed. |
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| Urging the poultry industry to cooperate with the government in containing Avian influenza, Kaushal said the government would consider the industry's request to declare zones, as practised in the European countries, to facilitate exports from the unaffected areas. |
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| A decision in this regard would be taken only after thoroughly examining the implications. He was against the use of vaccines since "vaccination may complicate the virus". |
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| Director of the Andhra Pradesh department of animal husbandry, L Mohan, said that chicken prices might go up to Rs 60 per kg by next month as the hatcheries were observing hatching holidays. |
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| SEA president, A R Sharma, said that animal husbandry accounted for six per cent of the agriculture sector's 24 per cent contribution to the gross domestic product of the country. |
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