Mozambique bans poultry imports from South Africa

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Mozambique bans poultry imports from South Africa

3:29 CAT | 16 Apr 2021

File photo: Al Arabyia

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADER), through its National Directorate for Livestock Development, yesterday (Thursday 15-04) suspended the import of poultry and poultry products (meat, fertile eggs and eggs for consumption) from neighbouring South Africa, following an outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza reported in Gauteng province on Tuesday.

According to a press release issued on Thursday afternoon, the measure includes poultry products imported for use in animal feed or for agricultural or industrial purposes, with the exception of meats which have been heat-treated, a process which kills the avian influenza virus.

Given that South Africa is one of Mozambique’s largest suppliers of poultry and poultry products, especially frozen chicken and eggs for consumption, the ban may cause a rise in prices within the country.

This Wednesday, Botswana has also banned the importation of poultry and poultry products from South Africa. ” The import of domesticated and wild birds, their products (meat, eggs and feathers), from South Africa is banned with immediate effect,” Botswana’s Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security said in a statement, quoted by Reuters.

South Africa said on Tuesday that around 300 birds died of avian flu at the commercial chicken-layer farm in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, with samples from the farm testing positive for the H5 strain.

After an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of avian flu in 2017, which saw poultry farmers culling millions of birds, neighbouring countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana banned poultry imports from South Africa.

Source: Carat de Moçambique / Thomson Reuters Foundation