Bhutan bans import of poultry from India
Friday, 3 August 2007
THIMPHU, August 2 (PTI): Bhutan has banned the import of poultry and poultry products from India for an indefinite period following an outbreak of bird flu in Manipur.
"Based on the information from the department of animal husbandry in India and the Indian media, we decided to ban the import," said Chief Veterinary Officer of the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) Karma Tenzin.
The ban came into effect Friday and is likely to be on for at least three months.
According to BAFRA records, Bhutan imported 99.8 MT of processed chicken and 29,971 cartons of eggs from India last year.
An outbreak of avian flu was reported in a poultry farm in Chingmeirong village near Imphal in Manipur on July 26.
Manipur is near Bhutan and there are high chances of the disease entering the country if proper preventive measures are not taken, a BAFRA official said.
"BAFRA personnel at all entry points all over the country have been put on alert and instructed to step up surveillance," said Sithar Dorji.
Pasang Tshering, programme director of National Centre for Animal Health and National Focal Person for Bird Flu, said no suspicious cases have been reported in the country till now.
"Based on the information from the department of animal husbandry in India and the Indian media, we decided to ban the import," said Chief Veterinary Officer of the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA) Karma Tenzin.
The ban came into effect Friday and is likely to be on for at least three months.
According to BAFRA records, Bhutan imported 99.8 MT of processed chicken and 29,971 cartons of eggs from India last year.
An outbreak of avian flu was reported in a poultry farm in Chingmeirong village near Imphal in Manipur on July 26.
Manipur is near Bhutan and there are high chances of the disease entering the country if proper preventive measures are not taken, a BAFRA official said.
"BAFRA personnel at all entry points all over the country have been put on alert and instructed to step up surveillance," said Sithar Dorji.
Pasang Tshering, programme director of National Centre for Animal Health and National Focal Person for Bird Flu, said no suspicious cases have been reported in the country till now.