Polutry prices have dropped by as much as 75 per cent at local auctions because of continuing worries over bird flu, a West Norfolk auctioneer says.
Fabian Eagle (34), whose family have been in the poultry business since 1892, said fewer people were now keeping chickens and geese as a hobby, and business is the worst he has known it.

Mr Eagle, of Peacock Cottage, The Street, North Pickenham, said that in recent years it had become fashionable for people to keep a few chickens in the garden or on smallholdings to provide them with eggs.

But since the bird flu scare started the hobby side of the business had gone into steep decline as poultry enthusiasts rushed to sell their birds. “There have been fewer buyers for them and the price has collapsed accordingly,” he said.

“We have seen the effects since the end of October. Once bird flu came into Turkey with the migration route, that was when it really started.”

Mr Eagle, who has been an auctioneer for 16 years, said the European Union banned all types of bird gatherings, and sales of poultry and caged birds at auctions, shows, fairs and events, from October 28. Licences were then issued by the UK Government from December 21. “I had no problem getting one, thankfully, and was able to operate again from the start of this year,” he said.

Mr Eagle said now there was hysteria of people catching bird flu themselves. “The risk is so minuscule. There are more deaths from MRSA in UK hospitals – but they are not stopping people going into those hospitals,” he pointed out.

“Yes it is a very nasty disease for birds, but it has been in the UK before and has been dealt with and has not been a problem.”

He considered a lack of “clearly defined” information from the Government was hindering the situation.

Posted: 03|8|06 at 11:04 am. Filed under: UK News.