Custom Union bans poultry imports from Mexico

The Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus has imposed temporary restrictions on imports of poultry from Mexico due to the recent outbreak of avian influenza in this country. The initiator of the ban was the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselhoznadzor).

The three countries currently have a trading agreement that if one member of the Custom Union bans livestock production from the third party the same restrictions should be implemented in other two members of the Union.

“This measurement is regulated at the level of the Customs Union and the ban comes into force in the territories of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan simultaneously, according to existing trade agreements between our countries,” reported the representative of the service.

The restrictions apply to imports of live poultry, incubating eggs, feathers, poultry meat and all other kinds of poultry not subjected to thermal processing below 70 degrees Celsius, poultry fodder and equipment used for poultry slaughter and processing. The restrictions were imposed after mass incidents of bird flu were caused by a highly toxic virus H7N3 registered in Mexico.

Mexico accounts for 16. 5 million poultry species, with 3.4 million poultry species being infected. A total of 2.5 million poultry species have already been culled.

Source: Vladislav Vorotnikov