POULTRY INTERNATIONAL: INDONESIA
29/09/2006
DATA released by directorate of animal breed of the Indonesia Ministry of Agriculture stated that there is sharp increase in the number of import of broiler grand parent stock (GPS) in 2006 compared with the figure in 2005. As of third quarter of 2006, GPS broiler import reached 281,739 birds which is 41% increased compared to the same period in 2005.
Meanwhile import of parent stock in 2006 was reported far below the number in 2005. An officer with the directorate stated apart from the avian influenza virus that still spread in some supplying countries, some local breeders also face production problems due to failure in AI vaccination. As the result, there is lack of supply of broiler DOC in the last three months that resulted high price of DOC amid the high demand during muslim fasting month.
The directorate also released potential number of final stock day old chick broiler production based on the import of parent stock in the first three quarters which is estimated to reach 23 million chicks per week. Layer day old chick production is estimated 900 thousand chicks per week.
LAST month Indonesian government launched a nationwide campaign to improve public awareness, warning the threat from the disease would likely increase when the wet season starts in October. Titled "Be Aware of Bird Flu", it includes TV public service announcements with prevention messages, such as to never touch dead fowl, for hand-washing after handling fowl or visiting markets, and to report dead poultry to authorities.
The national campaign features local celebrities. Other campaign materials include comic book and stickers in public places.
Bayu Krisnamurti, the head of the newly launched Indonesia National Committee for Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Preparedness (Komnas FBPI), said the campaign also would focus on poultry surveillance and biosecurity, which he admitted were still lacking.
He reiterated the appeal for more international financial support to fight the disease, which has killed 47 Indonesians since June 2005. "It's not that we're begging for foreign help, but it's a global problem that we should handle together. A campaign for 220 million people requires massive funds. We are inviting all parties who are concerned about the health and safety of many people to be involved."
He didn't disclose details of the campaign's budget, but said the government would need up to US$260 million annually for the next three years to finance its programs against bird flu.
Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture has made great progress in recent months, setting up new systems for early detection of disease outbreaks and coordinated response measures, including programs like participatory disease surveillance (PDS) and participatory disease response (PDR). These programs are being expanded to more than 150 districts in Java, Sumatra and Bali with the support of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and donor agencies including USAID, AusAID and the Government of Japan.
SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC), food and agribusiness giant is reportedly planning to establish a modern feed mill in Manado, Indonesia in a bid to produce cheaper feed products for Mindanao's animal and halal poultry industries.
Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana, chair of the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (Medco), said the company has signified to develop Manado and other areas in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province as primary source of cheaper corn and other raw materials for its feed processing operations.
One of the company's initial considerations in putting up a plant in Manado is to supply the needs of the halal poultry industry for corn-based feeds. "The main problem of halal poultry is the price and supply of corn-based feeds so this proposed venture will be a big help in our efforts to sustain the industry," Leyretana said.
SMC's venture in Manado will directly benefit poultry and swine raisers in the island, which has direct shipping links with the Indonesian port city. Corn is priced higher in Mindanao than in Manado, so the company wants to put up a plant there to take advantage of its cheaper corn products.
THE Tanjung Priok Port Authority has seized 167 containers of animal feed raw material, which arrived at the port from Spain last month.
Contaminated feed is widely believed to have started the mad cow epidemic.
Cerah Bangun, chief investigator at the Tanjung Priok tax and excise office, said the containers, which arrived aboard three vessels, would not be unloaded until a full investigation had been carried out.
"We can't explain further because the investigation is still going on," he said, adding that the three vessels were MSC Paris, MSC Valencia and MSC Giovanna.
He could say the 167 containers of poultry feed raw material contained animal parts, but not whether they were from sick cows. "Samples have been sent to the laboratory for further testing and the feed will be rejected if it is found to have been made with the remains of sick cows," he said.
Cerah said the government had banned the import of meat from Europe because of the spread of mad cow disease in Europe and the United States.
Previously, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono said the government would continue prohibiting the import of feed raw material containing animal parts from European countries.
The director of public health and veterinary affairs at the Agriculture Ministry, Turni Rusli Syamsuddin, said the government would remain selective about giving entry to foreign meat products, particularly from Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
INDONESIA is planning to vaccinate some 60 million chickens against bird flu ahead of the coming rainy season, when experts fear the virus might spread more easily, Agriculture Ministry official said. The vaccinations will take place in areas of the sprawling country where the virus is most entrenched, said Musni Suatmojo, director of veterinary with the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Indonesian government has approved the purchase of an estimated 91 million dosages of H5N1 or bird flu vaccine from China. Some 31 million dosages have already been delivered last month. The remaining 60 million dosages are expected to be delivered early this month.
He said, "The vaccines will be distributed to areas hit by the disease or those potentially hit. We hope the distribution will be completed by December 2006."
The government plans to conduct a major poultry vaccination drive last September until February 2007 to combat the spread of bird flu virus.
Indonesia's rainy season typically begins in October. Experts say wet and humid weather makes it easier for the virus to spread, like a regular flu.
