Bird flu confirmed in India
As bird flu is reported in other parts of the world particularly the Middle East, Europe and Africa, reports of the first bird flu case emerges from India as well.
While else where is it mostly wild birds and swans, in a small village on the border of Maharahstra and Gujarat, bird flu has been confirmed in poultry birds. Reports available indicate death of 50000 – 120000 birds, but these are all unconfirmed, but the high security lab at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has confirmed the news.
As per the international protocol, all farms in 3 km radius have been cordoned. Reports available indicate a population of 500,000 birds in this area, which will be culled and birds destroyed. The government is gearing up to take steps to safe guard the interest of the farmers and the sector at large with provides livelihood to more than 3 million people in the country.
India is the 5th largest producer of broilers with a placement of 1700 million broilers per year, and 6th Largest producer of eggs with a production of 43 billion eggs per year. With a per capita availability of broiler meat and eggs at 1.8 kg and 41 eggs per person per year, it is makes a small, but significant contribution to the protein intake of the Indian population.
The last episode of the bird flu scare in Jan 2004 caused a loss of about Rs.3000 crores ($674 million) to the industry, just because of the panic, but this time the industry and the government is well prepared to handle the situation even thought the disease has been confirmed.
With the cordoning of the area, the government has given clear signals that it will try its best to contain the disease in the area, but the industry must also join hands in creating awareness amongst the populace that a properly cooked chicken and eggs safe to be eaten.
In addition, bio-security at the farms must be stepped up and any dead birds reported to the authorities.
There is a general belief that the integrated sector in India would be safe as they take more precautions than the small / medium individual farmers who might be affected if the disease spreads.
As on other countries Iran has reported 135 wild swans that died from bird flu near the Caspian Sea. Iraq have declared a bird flu alert in the southern province of Maysan. The province is described as a major southern trade route so security forces have totally closed the area to prevent people from carrying birds out. The disease is apparently in local birds, not migratory birds but the area is known for rich marshlands that are home to a vast collection of bird life. Health authorities have sent tissue samples of 12 Iraqi people suspected of having H5N1 to a U.S. Navy laboratory in Egypt for testing Saturday. At least four people have died in Iraq since the outbreak was first confirmed in January 2006.
The killer strain of the Avian Flu has also been detected in North western Iran, according to reports available from World Heath Organization (WHO). The strain has been found in dead wild swans. The dead swans were found in two sites in the Anzali wetlands of the northwestern Gilan province. Immediately, protection and surveillance zones were established in the area.
As per a note from Iran Veterinary Organization (IVO), around 18,500 domestic birds in six villages within a radius of 2 km around the affected sites have been culled and owners have received compensation. All poultry around the wetlands has been identified, the movement of poultry products is under control, assembly of live birds at markets is banned and awareness campaign started among poultry owners created, the IVO report stated.
In Europe, Hungary is the lastest country to report the disease. Other countries that have already reported death of swans due to H5N1 include Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Ukraine, Romania, Slovenia and Austria. Danish officials have also found dead birds on some of their islands in the Baltic Sea, test results are pending while Poland is testing three dead swans found on the Baltic coast. The governments of Switzerland, Sweden and Norway have ordered those with poultry to keep their birds indoors in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.
In Africa, Nigeria is the first country to report death of birds due to Avian Flu. Some 140,000 birds have been killed and farmers are trying to quickly sell their chickens before they are killed. The strain has been confirmed in three northern states but outbreaks are now suspected in at least five others. In neighboring Niger also, officials are investigating two dead roosters found in a market there.
The arrival of avian flu in Africa has been of particular concern since most African nations are economically poor and have little in the way of funding or resources to help fight a bird-flu pandemic. With human cases also suspected in Nigeria, where man and bird share the same space, it will be a difficult time ahead for the Nigerian officials and farmers.
Maize prices stabilize
With most of the end users covered for atleast next 30 – 45 days and supplies in the market yard dwindling, the prices of maize are slowly softening. The prices are also softening as the quality as desired by the end user is not available at the fag end of the season. Looking at the price trend the prices this week averaged at about Rs.5900 ($131) per MT at the market yard, still about 6% higher than the prices last year during the same period.
Looking at the prices in the last 3 months, average prices in Nov 2005 were higher by about 14% than Nov 2004. In Dec 2005 the difference dropped to approximately 8% and again in Jan 2006 the prices were higher by 11.5% than Jan 2005.
It is not only India, which is facing the availability crunch. End users in Philippines are under similar threat and have approached the government to remove the tariff on corn imports.
It is still a month before the rabi crop hits the market and the prices are likely to increase in coming months.
Prices in US went up by about $5.6 per ton and ender at $89.17 per ton, which FOB values also moving up to $109 – 110 per ton range (US Gulf).
Your new cell phone may be made from Corn-Based Plastic
Reports available from Japan indicate that NEC Corp. and Unitika Ltd. have developed an eco-friendly bio-plastic which will be to be used in the cellphones of NTT DoCoMo Inc.
The plastic, made with Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) derived from corn, is reinforced with the fiber from another plant called kenaf, which is capable of absorbing carbon dioxide in the air, to improve its heat resistance -- a factor making it available for use in mobile phones.
Amid concerns about depletion of natural resources and global warming caused by extensive use of petroleum, PLA has drawn wide industrial attention specially in Japan and Taiwan because of its promise as an environmentally friendly material.
PLA has not been considered desirable for use in electronic gadgets because it has been more brittle and less heat-resistant than petroleum-based plastics, but with use of kenaf, another plant based fiber and the development of new methods to blend ingredients, it will be possible to use the product in electronic gadgets.
The new Foma N701iEco handsets which DoCoMo plans to market, will hit the Japanese markets in March 2006 will be made with the new bio-plastic, about 90 percent of which is made from plant-based substances.
Amit Sachdev
Representative
U S Grains Council, India
bluecross303@gmail.com
Feb 18, 2006
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