The import of poultry and poultry products from Dronten of the Netherlands to Hong Kong has been banned under the threats of avian influenza, Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety announced Monday.
The move was taken in view of a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low- pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza on a poultry farm in Dronten for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.
A spokesman for the center said about 18,000 tons of frozen poultry meat, 26 tons of chilled poultry meat and 14 million poultry eggs were imported into Hong Kong from the Netherlands from last year.
An import ban on the same items from the Province of Groningen in the Netherlands has been in effect since December last year and it is still in force, he added.
The center has contacted the Netherlands authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreaks in the country. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation.
