Import of poultry products from Japan resumes, except five prefectures

//05 Jul 2011
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Hong Kong announced that importing poultry meat and eggs from Japan (excluding Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba Prefectures) will resume.
Following an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 in the city of Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan, the CFS suspended the processing of applications for such imports last January.

"In view of the control measures taken by the country during the outbreak of avian flu in the city of Miyazaki, and the fact that there are no other reported cases of avian influenza, we decide to resume processing applications," a spokesman for the CFS said.

"However, the prohibition, imposed after the Fukushima nuclear plant incident, by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on the import of some specified food including poultry and poultry eggs produced in Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma and Chiba Prefectures, remains effective," the spokesman said.
Poultry and poultry eggs will be excluded from the ban if they are certified by the competent authority of Japan that the radiation levels do not exceed the standards laid down by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
"Restrictions have not yet been lifted for those five prefectures, and we are monitoring the situation there," he said.

Source: 7th Space

Ukraine banned import of pork from Russia

//14 Jun 2011
The State Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service of Ukraine has banned imports of pork from the Central District of the Russian Federation due to another outbreak of African Swine Fever.
On June 1, more than 120 pigs died at a farm in the town Torzhok, Tver, region in Russia. According to the preliminary diagnosis of veterinarians, the animals died of African Swine Fever.

"Do not import from the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation to Ukraine pig production," said an official statement. Russian authorities, in turn, assured its trading partners that it will take all necessary measures as soon as possible to eliminate hotbeds of the virus and prevent new outbreaks.

At all farms of the Central Federal District close management of pigs in private plots and farms is taking place. Elimination of feed that has not undergone thermal treatment is also occurring. It has been recommended that the unauthorised trade of products of animal origin should be prevented.

Thai egg producers decry government’s import ban

//28 Apr 2011
The Hen-Egg Farmers, Traders and Exporters Association in Thailand has posted their opposition to the government’s plan to import eggs to combat rising retail prices.
The Association’s president Narong Jiemjaiburjong has warned that the present rainy season’s inclement weather has lowered egg production but that will soon increase. With the importation of more hens, production is expected to increase between 27 and 29 million eggs per day from the current 24 to 25 million eggs.