Nepal culls nearly 570,000 birds as H5N1 outbreak spreads across 11 districts

NEPAL – Nepal has culled 569,858 poultry birds and destroyed 989,000 eggs after an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) spread to 11 districts and more than 100 poultry farms since the country’s first confirmed case of 2026 on March 18.

Authorities also ordered the temporary closure of Kathmandu’s only zoo after H5N1 was detected in a dead crow found within the facility, raising concerns about the virus circulating among wild birds and commercial poultry.

Officials said surveillance, movement controls and disease containment measures are continuing across affected districts to limit further transmission and prevent additional outbreaks.

The government warned that widespread culling and the closure of affected farms could reduce domestic supplies of chicken meat and eggs in the coming weeks as producers work to contain the disease.

Nepal’s poultry industry remains one of the country’s largest agricultural sectors, contributing more than NPR60.96 billion (US$442.2 million) to the national economy each year.

The sector produces about 548,000 tonnes of chicken meat annually, including 258,626 tonnes of broiler meat, while commercial farms produce around 1.61 billion table eggs each year, meeting domestic demand.

Industry estimates place total investment in Nepal’s poultry sector at about US$1.11 billion, with annual turnover reaching approximately US$1.01 billion.

The poultry industry employs more than 150,000 people across 64 of Nepal’s 77 districts and accounts for about 4% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Key production regions

Bagmati Province remains Nepal’s leading poultry-producing region, generating more than 93,900 tonnes of poultry products annually and contributing over NPR21.95 billion (US$159.3 million) to the economy.

Other major poultry-producing districts include Chitwan, Kathmandu and Kaski, which collectively account for a significant share of the country’s commercial poultry production.

Average annual meat consumption in Nepal stands at 18.1 kilograms per person, with poultry accounting for the largest share of animal protein consumed.

The country also records an average annual egg consumption of 61 eggs per person, exceeding the Food and Agriculture Organization’s benchmark of 48 eggs per person for developing countries.

Authorities continue to monitor the H5N1 outbreak, with efforts focused on containing the virus and limiting its impact on poultry production and food supplies.

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