Page 52 - IRANRptMay21

Iran culls 1.5mn birds after H5N1 avian influenza outbreak
Value of Iran’s agricultural exports ‘expanded 8% y/y in first 10 months of current Iranian year’
and western Iran by September, when the operation was expected to finish.
Almost 1.5mn birds have been culled in Iran due to an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu, IRIB reported on February 20.
The bird flu is believed to have originated from a commercial poultry farm in the Central Iranian province of Qom. Birds lost to the disease include rare birds at Qom Bird Garden. Tehran’s Bird Garden has been shut down to protect its birds, according to local reports.
Mohammad Karami, head of Tehran's wildlife monitoring department, said: “Given [the spread of the avian influenza], most wildlife conservation centres in Tehran province with bird species have been told to close to the public until further notice.”
He added: "Super-acute avian influenza can spread to humans from birds, [so we have to be wary] of the disease transmitting to humans."
Dr Masoud Mardaani, a member of the scientific committee of the National Coronavirus Headquarters, said in an interview with Quds Online News: "There is a possibility of transmission from birds to humans, but it is extremely rare. Veterinary organisations must identify the source of the disease as soon as possible and eliminate the infected birds, and the people and personnel exposed to the infection must be vaccinated with the flu vaccine and must follow the health protocols.”
Some Iranian veterinarians claimed to local media that the rapid spread of the bird influenza was facilitated by farmers who attempted to hide cases from the country's authorities.
Meanwhile, Digiato reported that in Russia there were currently cases of the H5N8 variant of bird flu infecting humans. No such cases have ever been recorded anywhere in the world.
Russian officials have sent information to the World Health Organization (WHO) on seven cases of men who died of bird flu. The men were linked to a poultry farm in southern Russia.
The H5N8 strain of bird flu was also detected in poultry in the UK in December, according to the European Food Safety Authority. Hundreds of thousands of birds were slaughtered in a bid to stall the spread of the virus.
The value of Iran’s agricultural product exports expanded by 8.4% y/y to $4.9bn during the first 10 months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2020 – January 19, 2021), the Tehran Times quoted the an official of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) as saying on February 3.
Mehrdad Jamal Orounaqi, the IRICA deputy head for technical and customs affairs, said $2.1bn of the value was achieved by the 10 major agricultural products of Iran, with pistachios the lead item in terms of value. Pistachios with fresh or dried skin earned $920mn on the export market. Fresh or dried pistachio kernels brought in $170mn.
In the previous Iranian year, pistachios, apples, tomatoes, pistachio kernels and watermelons made up Iran’s top five exported agricultural items.
9.1.9 Retail sector news
Iran’s clothing sales fall “to almost zero” amid retailers’ virus woes
The head of Iran’s Association of Clothing Manufacturers has said clothing sales in the country have fallen “to almost zero” amid coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, according to ILNA.
Tehan’s Grand Bazaar, stores across Iran and production workshops in the country have since the spring been forced to close for extended periods,
52 IRAN Country Report May 2021 www.intellinews.com