Lakhs of Chickens Dying in AP: What’s Happening?

The poultry industry is one of the riskiest sectors, with frequent reports of severe diseases that can wipe out lakhs of chickens, leaving farmers helpless. This is currently happening in Andhra Pradesh, where lakhs of chickens are dying due to a viral disease that is sending shockwaves through poultry farmers.

Reportedly, the infamous Ranikhet viral disease, which is highly contagious and infectious, has killed lakhs of chickens in the Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. In addition to the Godavari region, the Eluru, Guntur, and Prakasham districts are also bearing the brunt of this situation.

Allegedly, nearly 2 lakh chickens have died in these regions thus far, marking what appears to be an extremely fatal outbreak of the Ranikhet virus. Thousands of chickens have reportedly been dying every day since the beginning of January due to this viral infection.

Animal husbandry authorities have stated that certain measures are being taken to curb the outbreak, and fortunately, the number of deaths has started to slow down over the last couple of days. They believe the situation will improve as temperatures rise, as the virus reportedly can’t survive beyond 35 degrees Celsius.

Poultry farmers have been instructed to bury the dead chickens in deep pits, with lemons and lime placed next to them to naturally contain the spread of the infection.

However, despite the spike in deaths, the prices of chicken and eggs haven’t increased due to the shortage in supply. This is largely because the general population is shifting to vegetarian options out of fear and due to the onset of the summer season.