November 13, 2012

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to draw up a national plan on preventing the transport and importation of poultry of unknown origin.

The illegal importation of poultry has posed a great threat to people's health and caused a negative impact on the country' husbandry sector, said Nhan, who is also head of the Central Committee for Food Hygiene and Safety. He made the statement on November 9 while working with Hanoi municipal authorities on measures to fight against bird flu and human influenza.

He stressed the need to raise public awareness of the bird flu epidemic and set up checkpoints to immediately detect the illegal transport of sick poultry. Violations must be strictly punished and all sick fowl must be culled, he added.

He also called for relevant ministries and agencies to complete their plans on controlling the transport, trading and slaughtering of poultry, especially in border areas and wholesale markets.

Earlier on November 6, Nhan and MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat inspected poultry trading at some big wholesale markets, including Ha Vi in Hanoi's outlying district of Thuong Tin and Tu Dan in Khoai Chau District of neighbouring Hung Yen Province. These two markets are the major chicken suppliers to Ha Noi, meeting up to 80% of the capital city's demand, equivalent to 60-80 tonnes daily.

MoH Deputy Minister Nguyen Thanh Long warned against eating unhealthy food made from poor quality chickens, saying this could increase the risk of being infected with diseases. Moreover, he said, the residue of antibiotics in sick poultry is often quite high, which can result in high cholesterol levels among consumers.