KARACHI, 11Mrach: A government ban on the export of precious live birds, imposed after breakout of avian virus in chicken flocks, is costing the national exchequer a loss of $75,000 to $0.1 million per week or a cumulative figure of about $800,000, live birds exporters said here Wednesday.

They said although the bird flu virus has now been eradicated in the country, the two-month old ban on exports of precious live birds still continues due to which exporters have been deprived of their livelihood.

“The bird flue disease was only present in broiler chicken, but Pakistani government also suspended the export of precious live birds,” said Shahid Afzal Siddiqui, chairman Live Birds Trade Group.

He said the government should take initiative on the issue and that it should talk to foreign governments or their embassies in Pakistan to remove the ban on the import of live birds from Pakistan. Some foreign governments including that of UAE and Turkey have placed the ban following bird flu scare in Pakistan.

Mr Siddiqui said website of the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock is showing that the disease is still present in the country and added that due to this reason foreign parties are not ready to make a deal with Pakistani exporters.

Pakistan’s export of precious live birds is estimated to be around $0.3 million to $0.4 million a month. Most of these exports are made to UAE, UK, Canada and America.

Exporters said they are still are waiting for the decision of the federal government in this regard. They said when they talk to foreign buyers they were being told Pakistan has not eradicated the bird flu virus as the website of the ministry is showing the existence of the disease in the country.

Exporters said the Indian government had also banned the export of live birds for six months, but it opened the trade only after 45 days. They added Indian birds are being exported to Dubai and various other countries of the Middle East.

“Indian bird traders are trying to contact our parties in Dubai and various other countries, as those importer are not ready to take our birds because of the virus,” said Mohammad Younus, a leading bird exporter.

He said livelihood of more than 1,000 businessmen and thousands of their workers depend directly or indirectly on the export on precious birds and that are now jobless.

Daily Times