The government is confident its teams will be able eradicate the high pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu, which has been found at Hillgrove Egg Farm in Otago. Photo: Supplied / Otago Daily Times
The egg and poultry industry is feeling the pain as trade partners block imports after the discovery of bird flu in New Zealand.
The Ministry for Primary Industries is culling all 160,000 hens at a farm in Otago where the virus was found last week.
So far, the outbreak is limited to the one farm.
But Egg Producers Federation executive director Michael Brooks said it had ground exports to a halt nationwide when asked about the impact it has had on the industry.
Bird flu spreads to all four layer hen sheds on Otago egg farm
"It's hurting a bit. There's been stock on the water. When there's an avian influenza outbreak, countries overseas instantly put a barrier up to importation," he told Checkpoint.
"The market access group have been working to get them to look at the date of when it occurred, so they will take that. But right now, there is a block on nearly all exports out of the country, both Asia and the Pacific Islands."
With the outbreak exposed to just one farm, Brooks said farmers are more at ease after earlier concerns it may have spread further.
"It is very tragic what has happened here, but it does seem to be confided to the one farm," he said.
He said New Zealand has been unique in its freedom from the major poultry diseases, but to have just one outbreak is a bit of a concern.
A further 40,000 rearing chooks will be euthanised that are currently being housed away from the infected sheds on the same property.
Brooks said once that has been completed, there will be cleaning, disinfection, and further surveillance and testing.
"Nothing can go onto that sight until it's absolutely clear the virus has been eradicated," he said.
"That will take a period of time. You can't really put a timeline on it, it's dependant on whether the cleaning and disinfection has been perfect in its application."
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