The Chinese government paid 100 million yuan (US$12.2 million)
in 2004 and more than 200 million yuan (US$24.4 million) in 2005 to
farmers for their losses in bird flu outbreaks.
The figures came from a Chinese government document distributed
at the International Pledging Conference on Avian and Human
Pandemic Influenza, which opened here Tuesday. The conference is
cosponsored by China, the European Commission and the World
Bank.
The document said subsidies are provided for poultry culling in
bird flu epidemic areas. The Chinese government provides certain
amount of compensation for losses of poultry raisers caused by
mandatory culling. Since 2004, governments at various levels have
compensated in full for the culling of poultry in accordance with
the compensation standards.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2006)
