HYDERABAD, February 6: A new virus is wreaking havoc on the poultry industry in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, leading to the sudden death of healthy chickens and causing a significant drop in chicken prices. Reports indicate that in districts like West Godavari, Khammam, and Nizamabad, poultry farmers are facing severe losses, with some farms losing up to 10,000 chickens daily. In West Godavari alone, approximately 4 million chickens have died over the past 15 days.
Farmers are concerned about the rapid spread of the virus, which has been causing mass deaths within hours of infection. The symptoms differ from those typically associated with cold weather, leading to confusion and panic among poultry farmers. In response, many are attempting to sell their remaining chickens at reduced prices to mitigate losses.
The sudden deaths have also led to a decline in consumer confidence, with many people avoiding chicken consumption, further impacting the poultry market.
Authorities suspect that the H5N1 virus may be responsible for the deaths. Samples from affected farms have been sent to laboratories for testing. Similar outbreaks occurred in 2012 and 2020, resulting in the death of millions of chickens.
The situation remains critical, and farmers are urging the government to identify the virus and implement preventive measures promptly.
