The General Office of the State Council, China's cabinet, has
issued a notice pledging financial support to help farmers and the
poultry industry get through the bird flu outbreak in the
country.
"Local governments and relevant departments must ensure the
compensation funds reach those farmers whose poultry were
slaughtered to contain the spread of the avian influenza," said the
notice.
All poultry within 3 kilometers around the sites infected with
bird flu were killed and disposed of safely in China, where the
emergency measures also include intensified mass culling and
compulsory vaccination of all the poultry within 5 kilometers
around the affected sites according to set standards.
The State Council and local governments have promised to
compensate for each killed poultry to the farmers. Over 1.2 million
fowls have been killed in China so far to contain the bird flu
outbreak.
The notice said the central government has made "emergency
arrangements" to expand the production of the flu vaccine.
The funds earmarked for the vaccination must be timely settled
and allocated while the vaccine's quality should be maintained to
the strict criteria and standards, according to the notice.
Meanwhile, poultry raising and processing enterprises will be
exempt of their income taxes in 2004 and fowl processing
enterprises will have their added value taxes refunded during the
period of February 1 to July 31, according to the notice.
Upon approval by local province-level governments, those poultry
raising and processing enterprises may also enjoy other
preferential treatment such as reduction in or exemption from
taxation on land use, housing and vehicle usage, said the
notice.
The central government also urges banks to postpone withdrawal
of due short-term loans from poultry raising and processing
enterprises, pledging fiscal support to cover half of the interest
on loan extension for a period of up to six months, according to
the notice.
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(Xinhua News Agency? February 16, 2004)