As avian influenza outbreaks have been confirmed in more areas
in China, the Chinese government began considering applicable ways
to sustain the purses of farmers, in particular poultry
raisers.
The ministries of finance and agriculture announced on Monday
that the government will compensate farmers whose fowls are killed
in order to control the spread of bird flu.
The government ordered the slaughter of all the poultry in
affected areas within a three-km radius right after the outbreak of
the epidemic, and will provide financial assistance for the
loss.
The local governments will soon work out applicable criteria for
individual cases, said government officials.
The government will also pay for compulsory vaccinations in the
affected areas while the cost of vaccinations in other areas will
be shared by the government and farmers.
In east Anhui Province's Jieshou city, which was confirmed with
the epidemic on Thursday, the slaughter was completed. In Wangnan
village, where the outbreak was reported, all the chickens, ducks
and geese were gone and fowl farms were empty.
"Our mission now is to continue vaccination and pay subsidies to
the farmers," said Xie Shuxian, the city's deputy mayor.
Local fowl raiser Niu Juren stayed at home under quarantine and
had nothing to do these days after all his chickens were killed. On
Thursday, he received his cash subsidy.
"The money basically covers my initial investment," he said. "I
think I can breed some pigs in the future and make money from
that."
"The government will surely provide favorable policies and
financial support for poultry farmers to live through the current
crisis," north Shanxi Province's Acting Governor Zhang Baoshun
pledged as he visited rural areas on Thursday, China's traditional
Lantern Festival.
Rural economists said that farmers will suffer tremendous
economic loss if affected by the epidemic and in other areas
poultry raisers will have to pay extra money to prevent the
disease.
In spite of that, the Chinese government reiterated its support
for rural farmers. And the central government will give priority to
the central and western parts of the nation, according to official
sources. Early this week, the Ministry of Finance had already
allocated the first batch of funds for some affected areas.
(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2004)