January 8, 2012

 

 

Bans on Victorian poultry by Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore would likely be lifted, Australian Chicken Meat Federation executive director Andreas Dubs said.

 

Dubs said a low-pathogen strain of bird flu had been found on two Victorian duck farms late last month but the find posed no risk to human health.

 

"We expected some countries to initially over-react while they try to understand what is happening," Dubs told The Weekly Times.

 

"A number of countries have asked for further information and we expect the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (to negotiate). These negotiations will go on and hopefully we'll go back to something less onerous soon."

 

Japan had already made exemptions to its ban, Dubs said. However eggs are still banned from sale into that market.

 

More than 25,000 ducks have been gassed on two separate farms at Mickleham and Gisborne. It is the first time since 1997 that a strain of avian influenza has been detected in Australian farm animals.

 

Australia exports only 5% of its poultry production but Dubs said some of this was "bonus" trade. Australia sells chicken feet into Hong Kong for human consumption, a market which does not exist in Australia.

 

Department of Primary Industries chief veterinary officer Dr Andrew Cameron said the farms in question had been placed under strict quarantine.

 

Victorian acting chief health officer Dr Rosemary Lester said Victorian "poultry meat and eggs continue to be safe under normal food handling and cooking arrangements".

 

Avian influenza, even its dangerous strains, is destroyed by cooking. Dubs said work carried out by the DPI to assess whether the virus had spread to anywhere off the two known farms had "come back negative, which is a positive".

 

"The quick reaction by the DPI will end it there," Dubs said.

 

"It's important to note that at no point was there any issue of food safety or concern for consumers."