June 11, 2007

UAE lifts ban on Indian poultry products

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted the ban on import of eggs and other poultry products from India, UAE Minister for Environment and Water Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi said.

The ministry's decision to lift the ban was based on information from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which last year gave India's poultry products a clean bill of health. 
 

The UAE had imposed the ban in February 2006 following bird flu outbreaks reported in India.

Other Gulf countries such as Muscat and Doha also banned Indian poultry following the outbreak, but lifted it last year after the OIE's decision.

The UAE imports about 1 million eggs a day, out of which 35 per cent is from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, India's poultry hub.

The UAE has been importing eggs from Europe which were at much higher prices than those from India after it imposed the ban.