Health workers in protective suits slaughtered ducks in Karuvatta, Kerala, on 6 January.
Photographer: Arunchandra Bose / AFP / Getty Images
Photographer: Arunchandra Bose / AFP / Getty Images
Four Indian states have reported outbreaks of bird flu, with some districts in Kerala slaughtering birds to stop the spread of the disease, according to an official statement.
Some states, including Rajasthan, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, have recently witnessed unusual deaths of poultry, crows and migratory birds, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy said late on Thursday. The federal government has urged local authorities to step up surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos and poultry farms, he said.
Concerns about the spread of the disease are likely to affect poultry companies across the country in the next two to three quarters, According to a note from ICICI Securities Ltd. Consumption of poultry products, such as chicken and eggs, may decline, while demand for poultry feed may be affected, he said.
Actions of Venky’s India Ltd., which reported about half of its poultry sales revenue in 2019-20, has fallen by more than 8% and is set for the worst week of April 2020, while Godrej Agrovet Ltd. was down 1.4%.