Bird flu damages nearing €40 million

The recent outbreak of bird flu has cost the industry and government between 32 million euro and 39 million euro thus far. This is based on calculations from the Wageningen research institute LEI. The costs stem from the culling of birds on infected farms and businesses and indirect costs from the transport ban and the loss of exports. Not only the government and farmers, but also slaughterhouses, hatcheries and breeding farms have suffered damages from these outbreaks. Last week State Secretary Sharon Dijksma of Economic Affairs eased the preventative measures, but for the time being the regime will remain tighter than normal.