Over 60,000 Birds Dead in Spanish Lookout from Avian Flu Outbreak

Monday, May 4th 2015. BMG: The Ministry of Agriculture has confirmed to the media that the avian influenza outbreak detected in Spanish Lookout in January of this year has caused some $3 million dollars in lost revenue to Belizean poultry farmers.

Jose Alpuche, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture says that about 75,000 birds have been tested positive for the virus and more than 60,000 have been destroyed in 12 farms in Spanish Lookout.

ARCHIVE: Poultry facility

“This is a clear indication of a loss of $3 million dollars with a total of four more farms left to be purged,” Alpuche told the media.

Spokesperson for the Belize Poultry Association, Orlando Habet, states that Belize might have to import poultry products to make up for any potential shortfall; however producers are trying to avoid this as much as possible.

“Government does not have any plans on compensating the growers for their loss, therefore this can have an impact on the price of chicken in the months ahead,” Alpuche told us, but up to now, the price of chicken has not increased.

The Ministry of Agriculture will continue to do routine testing of the birds in all the farms in the area until all tests are negative.

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