Japan has reported that 16 of the country’s 26 prefectures do not have space for “proper” burial of chickens killed because they contracted avian flu. While local authorities and farms routinely kill and bury animals to prevent further spread of the virus, land shortages are currently delaying those efforts, broadcaster NHK said.

Authorities have been forced to kill more than 17 million chickens infected with the virus, according to a spokesman for the country’s Ministry of Agriculture. “Avian flu can infect even new poultry farms with modern equipment and without windows”said a poultry farmer near Tokyo.

According to experts, wild birds are mainly responsible for the spread of the virus. Waterfowl, such as ducks, can carry the disease without dying and transmit it to the bird through contaminated droppings, saliva, and other means.

The circulating form of the virus infects a wider range of wild birds and then spreads to domestic birds, including other animals including foxes, bears and seals.

The United States, Britain, France and Japan are among the countries that suffered record poultry losses last year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless.

Europe supply problem

New cases of bird flu in Japan are once again highlighting the colossal crisis that the poultry sector is experiencing, which simultaneously increases both the food problem and the prices of related products in supermarkets, exacerbates the problem of a living wage and inflation.

A more recent poll also shows supply shortages remain a persistent problem in Europe as bird flu outbreaks lead to “culling and limited breeding” and high production costs are also forcing small and medium-sized players to lower their stakes, according to RaboResearch. .

The researchers found that Germany, France and the Netherlands reported a decline in poultry meat production in the fourth quarter of last year, a trend that has continued this year.

RaboResearch has shown that poultry meat production is likely to increase in the first half of 2023, and while bird flu concerns remain, it will decrease in the second and third quarters.

The latest report also highlights that with the current market requirements in the EU. there was “strong demand for imports”, with total EU poultry imports in the fourth quarter of last year to increase by 6% to 227,000 metric tons.

“Maintaining supply-to-market balance will be key for manufacturers. This will be especially important during the summer months in Europe when the risk of bird flu is lower,” the report says.

According to NHK, Reuters