April 11: The poultry industry of Nepal has recorded a loss of Rs 35 billion in one year.  This sector reported such a heavy loss since the outbreak of coronavirus.
According to the Federation of Nepalese Poultry Entrepreneurs, hotels, restaurants, party palaces, and other places which consume meat in large quantities were closed for a long time, causing heavy losses to the poultry industry.
According to stakeholders, the poultry industry had to bear daily loss of Rs 219.5 million during the six-month-long lockdown.
According to Guna Chandra Bista, president of the Federation of Poultry Entrepreneurs, the poultry business faced an estimated loss of around Rs 35 billion.
According to him, the Hatchery Industry Association had to destroy around 600,000 chickens daily during the six-month-long lockdown.  During that period, the poultry farmers had to bury 4 million chickens.
The hatchery industry bore the maximum loss, followed by poultry and egg farmers. Likewise, cold storage centers also faced loss along with the farmers.
Even though the losses have declined, the poultry sector is still suffering from the impact. Entrepreneurs say that the prices of chicken, grains, and meat have gone up.
Entrepreneurs estimate that it will take another two years for the country’s poultry sector to return to its old rhythm. Nepal's overall poultry business contributes Rs 180 billion to the gross domestic product.