World meat industry news

Authorities from Belarus have imposed temporary restrictions on the import of poultry from Mari El and Chuvashia after the detection of bird flu outbreaks in the regions.

The Department of Veterinary and Food Inspection of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus has announced the ban after receiving a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) regarding the detection of new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus in poultry from producers located in the Russian republics of Mari El and Chuvash, as reported by the Russian press agency TASS.

The Belarusian officials said the restrictions will affect the importation from Russia of live birds, incubation eggs, wild, zoo and circus birds suscepible to the disease, as well as poultry, egg powder, melange, albumin and other chicken egg food products.

Furthermore, the Belarusian Department of Veterinary and Food Inspection added that additional control measures must be taken to ensure the biological protection of local poultry facilities.

Until now, bird flu outbreaks have hit eight districts from Chuvashia. Officials from the region said that the source of the outbreaks has not yet been detected.