Poultry industry to rope in film stars to counter bird flu scare

Pune, Feb 22 (UNI) Poultry major Venkateshwara Hatcheries, which claimed to have lost business worth over Rs 1,000 crore since the outbreak of avian flu at Navapur in northern Maharashtra, has decided to rope in film stars to counter the flu scare in the country.

Following a similar scare two years ago, the poultry industry had engaged actors Sanjay Dutt and Suneil Shetty who toured various parts of the country and publicly consumed chicken to dispel public fear.

Confirming the launch of the campaign from February 25, Venkateshara Hatcheries chairperson Anuradha Desai today said it has become imperative to save the livelihood of 55,000 poultry farmers who have been hit hard by this scare.

Company CEO O P Singh said the poultry industry has lost business worth Rs 1,900 crore in the past five days countrywide and is suffering a daily loss of Rs 200 crore and hence it urgently needs public support for survival and revival.

Ms Desai, who is also the chairperson of National Egg coordination Committee(NECC), said poultry farmers will be launching nationwide campaign from February 25 to dispel public fear about chicken and eggs, adding they will organise fairs to educate people that it was safe to consume poultry products.

''Ours is a Rs 35,000 crore industry, so we have to be heard'' and the campaign to educate public has become necessary, Ms Desai added.

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