APA-Cape Town (South Africa) Africa has set up a US$184-million scheme to compensate poultry farmers affected by the outbreak of avian flu that has seen more than five million chickens being culled or dying over the past few months.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile told the National Council of Provinces in Cape Town on Thursday that the fund is meant to compensate farmers for losses.
“This scheme is about $184 million. So, those farmers affected by the bird influenza will get support from this scheme,” Mashatile said.
Among others, the government has recommended that all affected farmers, especially small-scale farmers, should be compensated, Mashatile said.
The disease has affected poultry farmers in eight of South Africa’s nine provinces, except for the Northern Cape.
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said that losses to the poultry farmers had exceeded US$97.4 million and the losses were escalating.
SAPA warned that farms were being wiped out as long as the disease is still rampaging throughout the country.
NM/jn/APA