The AgriFood & Veterinary Authority or AVA, has suspended
the imports of live birds, poultry and poultry products from the US
state of Kentucky.
In response to queries from 938LIVE, AVA says importers were
notified of the suspension on the 8th of April, last Wednesday.
This follows official confirmation of an outbreak of bird flu at
a farm in Grayson County, there.
The H7 strain of the virus found on the farm has the propensity
to become highly pathogenic bird flu viruses and cause serious
outbreaks.
Singapore imported close to 350 tonnes of frozen poultry from
Kentucky between the start of the year and the 8th of April.
AVA said the export of poultry and poultry products derived from
poultry which are from other bird-flu-free states in the US will
not be affected.
In addition, heat-processed poultry products from Kentucky,
which meet the requirements for heat inactivation of bird-flu
virus, will not be affected by the import suspension.
AVA says it will continue to monitor the situation closely and
introduce additional measures in event that the outbreak affects
the other states in USA.
It says the ban will not affect the supply of poultry in
Singapore.
The Republic imports some 165,000 tonnes of poultry
annually.
--938Live
