REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Government plans to depopulate poultry to prevent the spreading of avian influenza. Any poultry living within a kilometer radius from infected poultry will be depopulated.

Director of Animal Health Ministry of Agriculture, Pujiatmoko, said government was still communicating, educating, and informing the breeders.

Avian influenza cases recently occurred in several regions in Indonesia, particularly West Java, Central Java and East Java. Thousands of poultry were death as some breeders ignore the warning. No human has been affected by the virus.

Government confirmed that the virus mutated into a more dangerous type and might affect humans. Depopulation is considered as the best way to prevent the disease transmission.

While central government is still discussing the matter, Department of Animal Husbandry in East Java has depopulated thousands of poultry affected by the virus. The Head of Animal Health at Department of Animal Husbandry in East Java, Emmylia, said the department has given vaccine to healthy poultry.

The Association of Indonesian Local Breeders (Himpuli) refused the plan of depopulation. "It will inflict great losses to the breeders and diminish genetic resources," the Head of Himpuli, Ade Zulkarnaen, said.

Himpuli had not calculated the total losses, but Zulkarnain said price of a laying duck cost around 200,000 IDR, while a cattle duck is around 40,000 IDR. The panic breeders has started butchering their poultry and sold it to the market. "It happened in Kediri, Tulungagung, and Jepara," he said.

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