February 20, 2004

China's Poultry Exports On Gradual Recovery

China has begun exporting some of its poultry products to the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Japan, the United States and Britain, according to China's State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

The Republic of Korea has so far accepted to import from China specific pathogen-free (SPF) eggs and cooked poultry meat that have been heated at 70 degrees Celsius for at least one minute, the ministry said.

Singapore has accepted to import from China canned and cooked poultry meat, and Japan has allowed to import from China down and feather products in addition to canned poultry meat.

Moreover, the United States and Britain have also resumed import of poultry feather products from China.

Since the first case of bird flu occurred in China in late January, the administration has taken a variety of measures in order to control the spread of the bird epidemic and reduce economic loss.

For instance, a research institute affiliated to the administration has developed a method to test for the bird flu virus in four hours, much shorter than the 21 days taken by the internationally-accepted detection method recommended by the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.