FAO Expresses Concern About Bans on Poultry Imports

FAO expresses concern about bans on poultry imports

ROME, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Thursday expressed concern about the bans on poultry imports adopted in response to avian influenza.

Import bans on poultry that do not distinguish between infected and non-infected countries are contrary to the spirit of the World Trade Organization (WTO), standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and recommendations made by FAO, the UN agency said in a statement.

Countries banning the import of poultry products from non- infected countries are increasing the vulnerability of international global markets to price shocks, FAO said.

“Bans on poultry products from disease-free countries increase uncertainties in the global meat market, which is already threatened by potential supply shortages and rising meat prices because of continuing BSE-restrictions on North American beef shipments,” according to FAO. “Markets have also been affected by recent import restrictions on meat from Brazil, the largest meat exporting country, in response to recent cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).”

According to FAO, recent outbreaks of transboundary diseases and the imposition of disease-related export restrictions had an immediate impact on global meat trade in the 2004/2005. International meat prices, as represented in the FAO meat price index have risen to 10-year highs.

Consumer responses to potential bird flu outbreaks are already having a disruptive impact on industries in Europe and beyond, according to FAO. In Europe the reaction has been mixed, for example in Germany there has been no change while consumption of poultry in Italy has declined by 40 percent.

FAO reminded consumers that avian influenza is not a food-borne disease and that the bird flu virus is killed by the heat of normal cooking. “There is no risk of getting avian influenza from properly cooked poultry and eggs.”

Meat processors are urged to apply necessary safety measures to prevent virus transmission to humans, FAO said.