MULTAN, Feb 7: After the ban imposed by the Balochistan government on purchase of broiler from Sindh and particularly Karachi, traders have now moved to south Punjab to meet the demand there, it is learnt here.

A local trader, Muhammad Rafique, said more than 0.2 million kilo live broiler birds were dispatched to Balochistan via Bawata Check Post of Dera Ghazi Khan-Quetta Road.

He said the extraordinary demand in Balochistan might lead to an acute shortage of live broiler and its meat here with an expected increase in rates.

On the other hand, the livestock department in various districts have started the registration of poultry farms to ensure all prophylactic measures.

Muzaffargarh poultry production officer Dr. Abdul Hameed Chaudhry said the livestock department was monitoring all farms and in the history of

Dera Ghazi Khan region not a single case of bird flu (avian influenza) had been reported in broiler, layer and breeder varieties.

He said farmers were being trained and directed to use proper dress, mask, gloves and gum boats.

Poultry trader Niaz Baloch, who is running his three farms on Khanewal Road, said: “It is propaganda to discourage small farmers.”

A poultry consultant at Multan, Dr. Jalil Abid, claimed that bird flu was not a disease of broiler but it cloud be only diagnosed in layer and breeder.

He said layer and breeder farming was done at a very minor level while broiler farming had a major share and its particular areas included Khanewal, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan.

The retail sale of the broiler dropped from 15 to 20 per cent in posh city areas while the bird flu was unnoticed in villages.

When this correspondent asked a consumer, Tahir Abbas, present at a poultry market about the purchase of broiler, he said: “A doctor has told me that no virus exists after cooking at a high temperature.”

A poultry consultant, Dr. Aslam Baloch, said the industry had received a major shock in January 2004 when the live broiler was sold at the record lowest price of Rs7 per kilo following the reports of bird flu in various farms of the country. However in March 2004 and onwards, the rate of the broiler had also touched the highest figure of Rs80 per kg with its meat at Rs135 per kilo.

He said until the production of the broiler, breeder and day-old broiler chick was controlled as per the consumption demand of each and every area, crisis would keep on hampering the development of the poultry industry all across the country.

He said farmers and feed distributors were much worried about the ongoing situation and feared that it could ruin their business.