Farmers demand insurance for bird flu

YOGYAKARTA: Poultry farmers across the country grouped under the Association of Fowl Breeders demanded on Saturday the government pay them between Rp 25 million (US$2,941) and Rp 100 million if they were to become infected with bird flu.

The farmers said this insurance scheme would help give them a feeling of safety as they went about their work breeding chickens.

During a one-day conference titled Solutions for Avian Influenza, the government was also urged to launch a public campaign to convince people about the safety of eating poultry.

The farmers also demanded the government provide them proper vaccines and allocate money to research bird flu.

In a statement, they urged all poultry farmers to apply biosecurity measures to prevent their chickens from becoming infected with bird flu.

The farmers also urged the public not to be afraid of eating poultry. They said cooking chicken properly killed the bird flu virus. -- JP.