October 28, 2019

New Zealand's poultry industry at a standstill after discovery of poultry disease

The poultry meat export trade to Australia, worth up to NZ$60 million (~US$31.8 million) per year, has been halted due to the discovery of type 1 bursal disease virus (IBDV-1) in Otago, reported Stuff New Zealand.

Exports can only continue after New Zealand announces it is disease-free. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) said the organisation has halted certification of poultry products as IBDV-1 free for countries that require certification since early September.

The two hen farms in Otago, owned by Mainland, are currently monitored under biosecurity control to safeguard from any possible spread of the disease. MPI confirmed IBDV-1 has been contained to both locations.

The market access team from MPI is working with the poultry industry and Australia's authorities to return to the status quo, but no deadline has been given to restore the export market to Australia.

Tegel, one of the biggest poultry producers in the country and the main exporter of poultry products to Australia, had its export certificate nullified after the discovery of the IBDV-1.

A spokesman for Tegel said they were unable to comment on the how the ban will affect the company's operation until a later date. According to Tegel's annual report (ending April 2018), it earned NZ$615.4 million (~US$392 million) in revenue with $89.6 million (~US$56 million) from exports to Australia, the Pacific Islands, Philippines, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates.

Michael Brooks, executive director of the Poultry Industry Association New Zealand said there was concern among the country's billion-dollar poultry farming industry.

He said he does not know how the export ban would affect Tegel, but he believes it will have an impact on its suppliers as excess product meant to be exported might be channelled to the domestic market.

IBDV type 1 is highly contagious, but the disease cannot affect humans.

-  Stuff New Zealand