February 2, 2011

Hungary lifts German hogs, pork ban

Hungary's chief veterinarian withdrew on Tuesday (Feb 1) tough limits on the consumption and sale of German hog and pork products imposed last month amid the dioxin alert.

It said hog and pork importers should notify food and animal health authorities two days in advance of the expected arrival of new shipments, and authorities could perform random checks of shipments deemed potentially hazardous to health.

The new rules are a step back from stringent controls introduced on Jan. 19, which said all German pork  products imported since November 12 must be tested for dioxin and could be sold or processed only if they clear relevant laboratory tests.

The alert began on January 3, when German officials said feed tainted with highly poisonous dioxin had been fed to hens and pigs. Eggs, poultry meat and some pork at the affected farms were contaminated.

The chief veterinarian said Hungary had now gained sufficient reassurance after regular talks with the European Commission and Germany that German authorities had adequately contained the dioxin alert.

The measure follows complaints by the country's main meat industry group which said that the strict restrictions could damage the local industry.