Economic impact of avian influenza on the poultry sector

Abstract

Introduction: In Ecuador, a state of animal health emergency was declared in the territory after the detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Therefore, it will not be possible to move birds, products and by-products of avian origin such as eggs, hens, chickens, among others, from the farms affected by the outbreak Objectives: This research arises from the need to evaluate the financial impacts of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in companies in the poultry sector dedicated to egg production.  broilers and feed production from 3 provinces in the central zone (Cotopaxi, Tungurahua, and Bolívar) in the period between September 2022 and February 2023. Methodology: The qualitative, historical, logical, documentary, legal and bibliographic approach was used, whose purpose is to specify, define and ascribe a certain object of study to achieve general knowledge, which allows reaching a conclusion on the subject. Discussion: Approximately 500,000 new birds had been infected with influenza or avian flu, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the Phytosanitary and Zoo sanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad) reported on Monday. These birds, which are in addition to the first 350,000 patients detected in the first case detected at the end of November 2022 and 17,000 more in two subsequent cases, correspond to two new outbreaks in the provinces of Cotopaxi and Bolívar. Conclusions: The economic consequences of HPAI outbreaks for poultry farmers are considerable because culling, in general, led to higher losses in the absence of compensation, especially when culling occurred near the end of the production round. General area of study: Economics and Finance. Specific area of study: Economics and Finance.