Pune: After the COVID-19 outbreak wreaked havoc on poultry industry, it is now reeling under the fresh threat of the bird flu infection. Amid the fear of bird flu, the sale of chicken, eggs and other poultry products have been the worst-hit.

Though Pune has not witnessed the outbreak on larger scale, however, the fear of bird flu has increased so much that the demand of chicken and chicken products has decreased by more than 70 per cent, the poultry traders said.

One of the traders who wished to remain unnamed said, “The bird flu has affected the business. It has fallen by almost 70 to 80 per cent over the last one week. Generally, on weekend my business is about Rs 15,000 but from last two days it is accounting between Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500.”

Another trader Mohammed Pathan said, “Every year, due to this flu business is affected. Due to fear in people’s mind, people do not prefer chicken or other poultry products. We always advise everybody those who purchase chicken and eggs to boil and cook it properly.”

In India from 2006, almost every year in winters, Avian Influenza (bird flu), a common cold disease is reportedly found in birds somewhere or the other. Experts has already stated that the methods of eating chicken and other poultry products in the country do not raise the question of transmitting bird flu in humans, although they say that the people should not eat half-boiled or half-cooked meat.

Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Government of India, Praveen Malik, recently said that there is no direct evidence of Avian Influenza (AI) virus being transmitted to humans by eating adulterated poultry products. He said that there is a need to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.