Japan suspends poultry imports from cities in MT and GO after avian flu cases

Japan has suspended the import of chicken, eggs, chicken meat products, live poultry, and hatching eggs from the municipalities of Campinápolis, in Mato Grosso, and Santo Antônio da Barra, in Goiás, following confirmed cases of avian influenza in backyard poultry. The ban was announced on the website of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The measure has been in effect since June 9 for Campinápolis and since June 14 for products from Santo Antônio da Barra, by the disease notification dates in the municipalities.

The suspension follows outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in backyard chickens in both municipalities, which Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture confirmed. In addition to these new embargoes, the Japanese government continues to uphold the ban on products from Montenegro in Rio Grande do Sul, where the country’s first case of avian flu was confirmed.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), notifications of avian flu in wild birds or backyard poultry do not warrant restrictions on the international trade of poultry products and do not affect a country’s sanitary status. However, Japan’s protocol requires import suspension in the event of cases of backyard poultry.

Last year, in a similar situation, Japan banned poultry product imports from Espírito Santo, Santa Catarina, and Mato Grosso do Sul due to avian flu notifications in domestic poultry — all of which have since been lifted.

This year, Japan agreed to regionalize the HPAI protocol by municipality, as proposed by Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture. As a result, bans on Brazilian poultry exports will now be limited to municipalities with confirmed avian flu cases in either backyard or commercial poultry production.

Source: Estadão

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