AGRICULTURE Secretary William Dar has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen originating from three European countries in view of the outbreak of avian influenza virus in said countries.
In Memorandum Orders Nos. 64, 65 and 66, Series of 2020, the outbreaks of the H5N8 or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus were reported in Tustrup, Randers, Denmark; Genderland and Groningen in Netherlands and Lucciana, Haute-Corse, France.
Dar said there is a need to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus to protect the health of the local poultry industry.
In the same orders, Dar also ordered the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary import clearance of said commodities.
Meanwhile, in Memorandum Order No.67, Series of 2020, Dar has ordered the lifting of temporary ban on the importation of the same products originating from Hungary. Based on the final report submitted by Dr. Lajos Bognár to the World Health Organization for Animal Health, the HPAI events in Hungary are now closed and resolved.
The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said the risk of contamination importing the said poultry products from Hungary is negligible.
