SINGAPORE : Singapore could lift the ban on Perak ducks early
next year, said Singapore representatives at an ASEAN meeting on
bird flu.
The ban, which was imposed after an outbreak of bird flu in
Malaysia, disrupted supply of chickens, eggs and ducks to Singapore
earlier this year.
While the ban on chickens and eggs was lifted, the ban on ducks has
not been fully lifted, with Singapore getting only some 50 percent
of the supply it used to get.
The lifting of the ban on Perak ducks means another 15,000 ducks
can enter Singapore daily -- about 75 percent of Singapore's total
duck supply.
At the meeting, avian influenza was identified as the single most
pressing agricultural and public health issue facing ASEAN
today.
The H5N1 virus, which causes the disease, is endemic in the ASEAN
region.
ASEAN wants a coordinated regional approach to prevent, control and
eradicate bird flu.
Since this year, countries in the region have been exchanging
information and affirming their commitment towards managing bird
flu.
"The taskforce will formulate a coordinated approach to prevent,
control and, if possible, eradicate HPAI in the region. To do so we
need to establish concrete measures and protocols on the ground in
order to deal with the threat," Singapore's Minister of State for
Defence and National Development Cedric Foo said.
One example of successful cooperation between countries was when
Malaysia and Singapore worked closely to contain the bird flu
outbreak to the state of Kelantan.
Officials on both sides worked together on biosecurity measures and
managed to partially resume trade in poultry and eggs from the
south of Malaysia within six weeks of the outbreak.
The objective of this meeting is to make sure there are more
success stories like this one. - CNA