January 29, 2007

Russia and Ukraine ban Hungarian poultry imports

Russia and Ukraine have introduced a ban on Hungarian poultry imports in response to the detection of the H5N1 bird flu virus in the central European country.

Russian newswire RIA Novosti reported Friday (Jan 26), citing a statement from Russia's agricultural watchdog agency, Rosselkhoznadzor, while Ukraine's agricultural ministry also made the announcement on the same day.

Bird flu was discovered this week in south-east Hungary.

Rosselkhoznadzor had previously lifted a ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from Hungary from Oct 10, 2006.

The exception to this is the region of Bacs-Kiskun, where cases of bird flu had been registered and the surrounding regions of Baranya, Tolna, Fejer, Pest, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Csongrad.

Ukraine's ban applies to deliveries of live birds, eggs and bird meat as well as any poultry products, the ministry's press service said.