Recently mass media give a lot of attention to bird flu that take on a fright of potential buyers. Chicken meat sale sharply went on recession and at the beginning of November decreased by 40 %. Instead of whether we are reinsured, impoverishing the diet, or really domestic poultry breeders are powerless before this plague – about it our correspondent took an interest at the head of Board of directors of Association Union of poultry breeders of Ukraine Alexander Bakumenk.
- Mister Alexander, say that the smoke without fire doesn’t happen: bird flu is revealed in Russia, Greece, Romania, and now and at us…
- And I also don’t say that Ukraine from it was insured. The main thing – whether we are ready to counteract? I would tell, what yes. All preventive events are held, fight methods are fulfilled. Therefore for a panic there are no bases.
- Often the fear is warmed up by that the ordinary consumer doesn’t see a big difference between small private farmers and integrated poultry farms.
- And it is vain, after all modern integrated poultry farms – it is the closed enterprises where can’t get neither the extraneous person, nor a migratory bird. All transport which calls in on the territory, and the personnel which the livestock looks after, pass through a so-called dizbaryer. Besides, workers wash, change clothes in overalls. And all forage for a bird whom grow up in such isolated complexes with observance of a special microclimate, pass through thermal processing. Besides, on integrated poultry farms carry surely out livestock immunoprevention: vaccinate against various diseases. Disinfect also a room.
- But, probably, such borders not at all enterprises?
- All complexes are isolated, all adhere to sanitary rules. However, at one it at level exemplary, and in others – a little the worst. However under present conditions everywhere strenuously precautionary measures. Anybody from producers to itself not the enemy. A virus of bird flu – really an illness quite serious, but first of all for a bird. Therefore those who is engaged in its cultivation, more all are interested in disease prevention. Other enterprise will go out of business. Because of it on such high level the system of biological safety also is lifted.
- Mister Alexander, an order at factories yet doesn’t guarantee safety. How rather lethal shops?
Production of fowl in Ukraine for 2000-2005 (in live weight)
- These are the powerful enterprises for meat processing where it is obligatory to eat veterinary service, and the state birds supervising everyone party which goes on a face. There samples investigate not only on compliance to sanitary standards, and both all State standard specifications and standards.
- And on possible infection with bird flu too check?
- Certainly. On all territory of Ukraine carried out 37 thousand researches on existence of this illness at birds flying, house and that grow up in the closed enterprises. Any case of existence of visokopatogenny strains of the flu dangerous to birds and people, didn’t reveal. If to speak about other countries, for the last five years in the world 122 cases of the person of bird flu are fixed only. And that mostly in Asia, where big density of the population and where a bird grow up actually on the street. Besides, pay attention: that looked after sick birds, instead of those who ate meat or eggs caught.
- You want to tell it, what we can eat quietly both meat, and eggs?
- Experts defined that at temperature of 70 degrees the virus perishes. And who forces people to risk, buying products in the spontaneous markets? That, isn’t indifferent to own health, never it will make irrespective of, whether there is a threat to fall ill with bird flu.
- But also in the legalized market it is possible to encounter illicit meat of an unknown origin.
- Therefore also it is necessary to demand from the seller accompanying documents, first of all the certificate. As to smuggling, its stream was blocked almost by common efforts of SBU, by frontier guards and customs officers. Threat of bird flu "helped".
- And whether domestic producers are capable to sate completely domestic market with bird’s meat?
- In total in Ukraine nearly 400 integrated poultry farms, about 120 – quite big complexes. From 502 thousand tons of fowl which in 2004 was delivered on the market by all domestic enterprises, 305 thousand are the share of the big enterprises. They gave a gain of 42 %. 655 thousand tons were planned for 2005. At such rates to provide internal demand not a problem, after all past year monthly sold on the average over 30 thousand tons.
L.Datsyuk.