September 20, 2004

Malaysian Poultry Exports To Singapore May Resume Next Week
 

Poultry exports from Malaysia to Singapore may resume next week, a senior Malaysian veterinary official has said. The exports were suspended last month following the detection of bird flu in Kelantan state.

Veterinary Services Department director general Hawari Hussein said negotiations between Malaysian and Singaporean authorities to lift the ban were in the final stages.

He said both sides were drawing up a set of guidelines before lifting the ban. The suspension has led to losses of more than one million ringgit a day for the Malaysian livestock industry.

"Singapore extended good cooperation," Dr Hawari was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

He said that if the Singapore authorities gave the green light, exports would resume next week. However, initial exports would be limited to live chickens, ducks and eggs from the southern states of Johor and Malacca.

Singapore banned poultry imports from Malaysia on August 18 after bird flu was detected in Malaysia's northern state of Kelantan bordering Thailand.

The suspension is still in force following the discovery of more cases of bird flu.

Malaysia, which has yet to have a human case of bird flu, has contained its outbreak in one state and kept it out of commercial poultry farms.

Dr Hawari confirmed there were no signs of bird flu infection in other states.