July 25, 2022

18,000 chickens illegally imported from Thailand into Cambodia confiscated

Cambodian agriculture officials have confiscated 18,000 live chickens that were illegally imported from Thailand into the country, through the land border checkpoint in Cambodia's Battambang province, Khmer Times reported.

Hun Sarath, deputy director of Animal Health and production department, said a van carried 18,000 chickens through Doung International Border checkpoint in Kamrieng district, Battambang province.

Sarath said authorities stopped the van on National Road 5 while it was headed for Kampong Speu province. Tann Phannara, Director General of the General Department of Animals Health and Production, gave the order for the interception.

He said that the import was unlawful and that the chicken was targeted to be sold in the province of Kampong Speu.

Sarath saod that while the chickens would be quarantined to be tested for infectious diseases like bird flu, the vehicle was seized at the agriculture office in Battambang city to deal with legal procedures.

He stated that sick chickens would be culled.

Srun Pov, president of the Cambodian Livestock Raisers Association, said chickens are imported because Cambodia does not produce enough, but importers must respect the rules and regulations.

Pov expressed his concern that the illegal import of live chickens could cause a disease outbreak and have an impact on farmers, and he added that if traders continue to import live animals illegally, it will have a significant negative impact on the local livestock industry.

According to him, it is irrelevant as long as there are appropriate laws, animal health certifications, and a defined import cap.

-      Khmer Times