The central government will compensate farmers whose fowl has
been killed in order to control the spread of bird flu, the
ministries of finance and agriculture announced Monday.
The government ordered the slaughter of all poultry in affected
areas within a three-km radius right after the outbreak of the
epidemic, and will provide financial assistance for that. The local
governments will soon work out applicable criteria for individual
cases, said government officials.
Poultry in an affected area within a five km radius must be
vaccinated, which will also be paid for by the government. The
government and farmers will share the cost of vaccinations in other
areas. The central government will give priority to central and
western parts of the nation, according to official sources.
The Ministry of Finance has already allocated the first batch of
funds for some affected areas.
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2004)