Poultry breeding industry encouraged in Shandong Province
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-03-02 16:44

The government of East China's Shandong Province has implemented a series of favorable policies to encourage the development of the poultry industry.

Although there is no infectious case of avian influenza had been reported in the province, which is China's biggest poultry breeding base, the government had prepared for any emergency, said an official with the provincial government.

Shandong had promised to compensate breeders for the culling of their flocks in areas affected by bird flu within the province, he said, and subsidies would also go to the vaccinated areas.

Shandong would provide favorable loans to poultry breeders with low interest and an extended repayment time, said the official.

All poultry-related industries, from breeding, processing to refrigerating enterprises in Shandong would be exempt from profit tax in 2004.

The provincial government also proposed protection of fowls kept for breeding, the official said. Shandong would establish quarantine belts by vaccinating outdoor rearing fowls within 3 kilometers of parent fowl enterprises, strictly ensuring safety.