Number of ducks and broiler chickens declines in first quarter

The number of broiler chickens and ducks raised in Korea fell in the first quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, data showed Thursday, following the outbreak of avian influenza.

The number of broiler chickens and ducks raised in Korea fell in the first quarter of 2023 from a year earlier, data showed Thursday, following the outbreak of avian influenza.

Korean farms raised 88.85 million broilers in the January-March period, down 1.3 percent from the previous year, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

The number of ducks raised also plunged 15.5 percent to 4.82 million, the data showed. The agency said the decrease is blamed on the aftermath of avian influenza in the country.

Korea reported its first case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza for the first time in about six months in October. Since then, cases have been reported throughout the nation.

The number of beef cattle, meanwhile, edged up 0.9 percent on-year to reach 3.59 million in the first quarter. The number of those aged one year or younger, however, fell due to falling prices.

The number of pigs fell 0.5 percent on-year to 11.1 million in the first quarter, the data added.

Yonhap