Regent appeals for all clear in Tangerang

Regent appeals for all clear in Tangerang

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The regent of Tangerang urged the central government on Wednesday
to revoke the bird flu 'red zone' status in the regency,
insisting that there was no bird flu epidemic in the area.

"There is no avian influenza (in Tangerang). We have monitored
all poultry farms here, but found no indication of bird flu. It
is business as usual at poultry farms and workers don't even use
gloves and masks to protect themselves," regent Ismet Iskandar
said on Wednesday.

He said the central government's declaration that Tangerang
was a red zone for bird flu had had a bad impact on poultry
breeders and chicken meat traders at markets, with their sales
dropping by 50 percent.

"I accompanied Trade and Industry Minister Marie Elka Pangestu
visiting a market at Bumi Serpong Damai city this morning and she
herself saw traders who could not sell their wares because people
were scared of eating chicken," Ismet said in a meeting with 100
poultry breeders.

"What a pity. Chicken meat traders and poultry breeders are
now confused and angry. Some people are even scared of coming to
Tangerang due to bird flu issues. Therefore, I ask the central
government to immediately revoke the red zone status," he added.

The central government declared Tangerang a red zone for bird
flu following the deaths of Iwan Siswara, an official at the
Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), and his two young daughters, early
this month.

The government had also culled poultry and pigs in the regency
in order to stem the spread of the virus.

Abdul Syukur, a poultry breeder from Muk district, said that
he employed 100 workers at his poultry farm and none of them used
gloves and masks at work.

"If there was bird flu in Tangerang, my workers would have
been infected by the virus, but they are safe and work as usual,"
he said, adding that he had no idea what to do with his workers
now that sales had dropped by 50 percent.

Edi Wahyudi, secretary general of National Poultry Producer
Marketing Information Center (Pinsar), said that should the
central government not revoke the red zone status, it would be
just a matter of time before the poultry breeding business died
out in the regency.

He said that market demand from Tangerang had dropped by 50
percent for chicken meat and eggs since the government declared
Tangerang a red zone for bird flu.

He said there were 100 poultry breeders employing 1,000
workers in the regency. Tangerang delivers 70 tons of eggs and
100,000 chickens every day to fulfill the needs of the Jakarta
market.

"What will happen to the breeders and their workers if the
meat and eggs they produce in Tangerang are not allowed to enter
the Jakarta market?" he asked.