China's down feather industry hit hard by H7N9 chinese Alluring divas. Well-proportioned divas.

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Hangzhou (CNS) -- The unexpected outbreak of the H7N9 strain of bird flu has put a huge financial strain on China's down feather industry, an industry association in East China said.

The down and feather association of Zhejiang province said prices of raw down and feather have surged due to the declining poultry and rising H7N9 bird flu cases.

The price of raw material has increased since late last year, said Lou Changhua, a sales manager at a garment maker in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. "It has now doubled because of the strain of bird flu." The down and feather industry is under great pressure, he added.

Han Jianming, a local buyer of raw feather and down, said the price of raw down has skyrocketed even in areas where no bird flu cases were reported. Local purchasing price has increased by 30 percent, he said.

A woman surnamed Zhou at the association said that Anhui province, the main provider of feather and down, has had reported cases of H7N9, which largely impacted overall supplies.

She predicted that prices for feather and down products will also surge.

Han also said many buyers are hoarding raw feather and down in order to sell them at higher prices later.

Xiaoshan district, also known as "the capital of down and feather," is the largest base for the down industry.

Special report: H7N9 avian influenza