Poultry sales in SA ‘not affected by outbreak’
The sale of live chickens will be restricted until local veterinarians can declare South African poultry free of a highly contagious strain of bird flu
There has been no negative reaction in the local market to the recent outbreak of a highly contagious strain of bird flu, the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) said on Thursday. Speaking after a joint media briefing with the Department Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on plans to curb the outbreak of the disease, Sapa CEO Kevin Lovell said despite speculation on social media, the market had not reacted negatively to the outbreak, and early indications were that poultry sales remained healthy. Lovell, who also sits on an international panel on the deadly avian influenza, insisted that the strain of the virus in SA was not dangerous to humans, and that due to vigorous checks, it was unlikely that chickens already on the shelves would be infected. Furthermore, cooking killed the virus, said Lovell. Speaking at the same briefing, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said the sale of live chickens would be restricted until local veterinarians can declare...
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