The central government will compensate farmers whose fowl has been killed in order to control the spread of bird flu, the ministries of finance and agriculture announced Monday.

The government ordered the slaughter of all poultry in affected areas within a three-km radius right after the outbreak of the epidemic, and will provide financial assistance for that. The local governments will soon work out applicable criteria for individual cases, said government officials.

Poultry in an affected area within a five km radius must be vaccinated, which will also be paid for by the government. The government and farmers will share the cost of vaccinations in other areas. The central government will give priority to central and western parts of the nation, according to official sources.

The Ministry of Finance has already allocated the first batch of funds for some affected areas.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2004)