JEDDAH, 24 November 2005 — Demand for poultry in the local market has dropped by as much as 70 percent following the outbreak of bird flu in Asia, Europe and some Arab countries. Workers in poultry shops have confirmed a 60 to 70 percent drop in sales, according to Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper, a sister publication of Arab News. Chicken store owners said their business was in crisis due to the drop in demand. They say each store currently sells 25 to 60 chickens daily compared with 200 to 250 chickens before the outbreak of the disease.
