Poultry farmers could lose £30m if avian flu spreads

UK poultry farmers could lose as much as £30m if the latest outbreak of avian flu spreads throughout the UK, according to insurance broker and risk management consultant Aon.

Due to EU regulations affecting government compensation, there is a potentially significant gap between the compensation received for slaughtered birds and the amount a poultry farmer could have expected to earn for each bird.

In addition, there is the longer term impact on the business through lost production and the risk that a farm will be unable to fulfil contracts. This could affect the long term relationship with customers and therefore prolonge the loss of income.

Aon is advising poultry