Bird Flu: AP sounds alert, continues egg exports to WB

Hyderabad, Jan 19 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Government has sounded an alert in the state in view of the Bird Flu outbreak in some parts of West Bengal.

State Animal Husbandry Department Director Mohan told newspersons here today that the department had alerted all the veterinary officials and directed them to visit all poultry farms in their respective areas.

''We are constantly monitoring the situation at the farms by deploying local officials. Though no cases of the disease were reported anywhere in the state, the step was taken as a precautionary measure, the official said, adding that the district authorities had also been asked to monitor the farms and in case of any unnatural death, get the matter investigated thoroughly.

Stating that state Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister M Buddha Prasad spoke to his West Bengal countpart about the outbreak this morning, Mr Mohan said the West Bengal government did not impose any ban on egg exports from Andhra Pradesh. ''We were continuing the exports to West Bengal. More than one crore eggs were being exported to that state alone everyday.'' So far, 7,976 samples were sent to the Bhopal and Pune labs for tests in 2007-08.

The farmers were also following 'bio-security' measures effectively to prevent any outbreak of the disease. More than 10,000 samples would be sent to the labs by this year-end.

He said there was no possiblity of spread of the disease from migratory birds as they come to the state in September and leave by the end of December or early January.

AP holds first position in poultry farming, catering to 35 per cent of the country's requirement.

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