April 10, 2006

India appeals to Japan to lift bans on poultry imports

India is getting set to reopen talks on frozen chicken and poultry product exports to Japan to revive the former's battered poultry industry, according to Indian commerce minister Kamal Nath.

Talks are scheduled on Sunday (Apr 16) to pursue a farm ministry proposal on re-opening exports.  The proposal would appeal to Japan not to impose a blanket ban on all Indian poultry products after multiple cases of bird flu emerged in some of India's most prolific poultry producing states.

The proposal urges Japan to resume imports from areas which are not officially bird flu-hit.

Japan had agreed to import chickens from four plants in India after a visit in December last year but imposed a ban after cases of bird flu emerged.