Nepal, July 22 -- Nepal's poultry industry has suffered an estimated Rs 4 billion in losses after outbreaks of bird flu and H9 influenza disrupted production, killed hundreds of thousands of birds, and forced many farms to suspend operations for months, industry leaders say.

Bird flu outbreaks have been confirmed in 11 districts, including Morang, Jhapa, Sunsari, Mahottari, Bara, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kavrepalanchok. While authorities say the disease is largely under control, farmers in affected areas cannot restock poultry for five to six months after disinfection, severely disrupting production cycles.

The Nepal Poultry Federation estimates losses from bird flu at around Rs 2 billion, with another R...