|
L. ALLEN |
In Asia, most of the poultry sector is represented by smallholders and village poultry production systems.
In Cambodia 75 percent of poultry production is carried out by subsistence farmers, who own an average of a dozen birds. Their poultry is mainly for domestic consumption, but the farmers manage to sell 10-15 chickens per year to generate US$15-20 in income, which can secure food for 6-8 weeks for a household of five. The majority of poultry is concentrated near cities on agricultural land, and adjacent to the Thai border in the northwest and the Vietnamese border in the southeast. The Department of Animal Health and Production of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has categorized commercial production into three classes: small-scale (500 to 1 000 birds); medium-scale (1 000 to 5 000 birds) and large-scale (over 5 000 birds). Commercial farms include 138 broiler farms, 68 layer farms and 977 duck farms, representing one-quarter of the country’s production. Most are small-scale holders.
Current estimates of poultry population in China are about 12 billion chickens and 3 billion domestic waterfowl (ducks and geese). There is an ongoing export of poultry from certified farms in southern China to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. A significant proportion of poultry in China is sold through live bird markets. H5N2 vaccine is produced at the Harbin Veterinary Research Laboratories, among others, to prevent H5N1 infections in this poultry trade.
Indonesia has a large poultry industry. Production is mainly aimed at the national market, although some export of processed products and one-day-old chicks exists, and can be regionally important, e.g. from Sumatra. The poultry population in Indonesia comprises: broilers: 919.7 million, indigenous poultry: 87.3 million, layers: 85.1 million, ducks: 48.1 million. Eighty percent of the poultry in Indonesia is produced by three large commercial companies, which are vertically integrated poultry production systems of substantial capacity. Seventy percent of total poultry production in Indonesia is carried out in Java.
In Japan, the total chicken population is about 284 million (2003 data), with its highest density in southern Kyushu (layer) and in northern Shikoku (broiler). The average number of birds per farm is 33 500 in layers and 38 000 in broilers. There are also some turkeys. About 25 percent of layer farmers keep fewer than 5 000 birds, representing nearly 20 percent of the total layer population. About 25 percent of broiler farmers send fewer than 50 000 birds per year to the poultry slaughterhouse. However, their total share is less than 4 percent of the overall poultry meat production in Japan. Chicken meat production was about 1 230 000 tonnes in 2002. Japan imported 524 446 tonnes of chicken meat in 2002, of which approximately 65 percent was from China and Thailand.
Distribution of outbreaks in China
The identification of the localities affected by HPAI in China and the accuracy of the data provided by the countries have made it possible to perform a GIS spatial analysis of the outbreaks and to demonstrate that the most affected element of the poultry sector in China was the medium-scale commercial farm where biosecurity was not properly practised and contact with wildlife was not present. A poultry density map was used to derive the average density of poultry at outbreak sites. In affected areas, the average poultry density was 2 414.4 poultry per square kilometre. The results obtained at outbreak location sites were compared to a sample of randomly selected non-affected areas (250 locations), where the poultry density was found to be 1 384.08 poultry per square kilometre. The two results were found to be statistically different. The distribution of outbreaks according to the poultry density is shown in the graph. It can be highlighted that more than 80 percent of the outbreaks were detected in areas where the density was below 5 000 poultry per square kilometre; more than 40 percent fell in the range 1 000-5 000. |
In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 20 percent of poultry is held by commercial enterprises with intensive systems for egg and broiler production. Except for some commercial poultry farms near major population centres, which supply meat and eggs to the urban centres, farmers tend to raise local chickens. The local chickens are generally preferred by consumers and command a higher price than breeds imported from Thailand.
The commercial poultry population in Pakistan is 308.7 million (layers 22.1, broilers 280.1 and breeding stock 6.5). The poultry industry has developed freely under minimal regulatory controls. There are some professionally integrated poultry production systems, but most of the farms are small. There are some 21 000 established farms, and 38 million chickens are kept in backyard operations. Poultry and poultry products are intended for the local markets and are not meant for export. Chickens are kept close to areas with a large human population. Live broilers are sold to consumers directly. Poultry breeders are mainly concentrated in the area of Abbottabad, in the north of the country. There are no major long-distance transport lines for consumer eggs or for broilers, except for some movements towards the Karachi region in the south. To date the most severe damage brought to the poultry industry has been caused by the drop in demand for poultry meat triggered by the loss of consumer and public confidence in the safety of local poultry products.
|
R. WEBB |
In the Republic of Korea, the total chicken population is about 98 million (2003 data). There are also some ducks, geese and turkeys. Chicken meat production was about 383 000 tonnes in 2002. The country imported 91 307 tonnes of chicken meat in 2002, of which more than 98 percent was imported from the United States of America and Thailand.
In Thailand, industrial production represents 80 percent of the poultry sector. The industry is dominated by large multinational and transnational companies. Before the AI crisis occurred, Thailand was the fourth largest exporter of chicken meat and products in the world.
In Viet Nam, poultry production plays an important role in rural development. More than 80 percent of the poultry production in Viet Nam is based on traditional production systems at the smallholder level, even though a number of families now keep flocks of between 1 000 and 10 000 birds. Poultry serves as a supplier of high-quality protein to farming families, as well as providing cash income through the sale of meat and eggs. Most of the production comes from backyard poultry raised by about eight million smallholders, while commercial poultry farming is represented by a number of small family producers and about 1 000 modern poultry farms of more than 2 000 birds, including 60 with over 10 000 birds. In 2003 the domestic bird population was mostly composed of chickens (185 million), ducks (69 million) and geese. It is unevenly distributed throughout the country with the main concentrations in the Red River Delta (50 million) and Northeast (34.5 million) regions, followed by the Mekong Delta (26.6 million) and the Southeast (20.4 million) regions.
Chicken production in Viet Nam
Chicken production has a very important role in rural development in Viet Nam. Chickens are raised in almost all households. The livelihoods of nearly 80 percent of the population (12 million households) are based on agriculture and usually include keeping some dozen to 100 birds. Chicken production supplies more protein for farmers, generates more income and improves living standards. Other commercial farming systems with hybrid birds are also kept by families divided into smallholders and medium- to largeholders. |
|
Country |
Poultry stocks |
Estimated poultry loss by death or culling, |
||||
|
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
Number |
Percent |
|
|
Cambodia |
20 749 |
21 248 |
22 978 |
24 000 |
36 495 |
0.15 |
|
China, Mainland |
4 300 000 |
4 480 000 |
4 888 506 |
4 735 230 |
9 127 600 |
0.19 |
|
Indonesia |
887 573 |
992 232 |
1 264 410 |
1 338 219 |
7 000 000 |
0.52 |
|
Japan |
295 795 |
292 440 |
287 407 |
283 958 |
270 473 |
0.09 |
|
Korea, Republic of |
107 706 |
109 127 |
109 540 |
104 030 |
405 968 |
0.39 |
|
Lao People’s Democratic Republic |
14 885 |
15 856 |
17 069 |
23 100 |
150 092 |
0.65 |
|
Thailand |
252 843 |
261 412 |
260 527 |
197 374 |
27 554 689 |
13.90 |
|
Viet Nam |
196 100 |
218 100 |
233 000 |
254 222 |
38 000 000 |
14.96 |
Source: FAOSTAT database (2000-2003), FAO mission reports, country reports and OIE Web site.
It is recognized that the major impact of the epidemic in Asia has been on the livelihoods of rural communities depending on poultry for their subsistence. A wide range of poultry, including chicken, quail, duck, goose, turkey, guinea fowl, crow, magpie, black swan, turkey, stork, pheasant and pigeon, has been affected by the disease. This has caused severe economic hardships at the rural level.
The total losses from deaths and culling of poultry are reportedly in the order of 85 million birds.
FAO. 2004. Consultant mission reports.
FAO. 2004. Review of the livestock sector in the Mekong countries, by V. Knips. Livestock Sector Report, Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch, Rome.
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). 2002. Review of the livestock sector in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, prepared by W. Stür, D. Gray & G. Bastin (available at http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/asia/pdf/adb_livestock_review.pdf).
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Web site
