BEIJING - China Development Bank, the country's policy lender, said on Tuesday that it has issued emergency loans worth 116 million yuan ($18.7 million) to help poultry firms cope with the impact of the H7N9 influenza.

The loans, designated to be used by the companies to handle the new strain of bird flu, were granted to two poultry firms owned by Beijing Huadu Group Co, a leading chicken supplier, CDB said.

The move followed a Monday government announcement stating that 600 million yuan in subsidies will be issued in order to support poultry processing companies.

The loans are the first to be granted to Beijing-based poultry breeders since the outbreak of H7N9 in late March.

Figures from the China Animal Agriculture Association indicate that the influenza has caused losses of more than 40 billion yuan for the poultry industry.

The government has ordered the culling of poultry and closure of live poultry markets in some cities, reducing demand all the way down the industry chain.