Bird flu scare hits poultry trade in Ajmer

The bird flu scare has badly hit the flourishing poultry trade in Ajmer, substantially reducing demand for chicken, market sources said on Sunday.

Not a single bird has died due to flu so far but the scare has substantially reduced demand for poultry products.

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Ajmer boasts of 250 poultry farms, the highest number in Rajasthan, with 2,000,000 birds of all types, including 1,200,000 'layer' chickens producing about 700,000 eggs daily.

The city consumes about 30,000 eggs daily while the rest are sent to other towns, including Jaipur, Agra and Bhopal.

The reduced demand has forced a downslide in the prices of eggs. In the current peak season, eggs are being sold at Re one apiece against Rs 1.75 before the scare. A broiler chicken is available for Rs eight against Rs 35 earlier.