Botswana bans importation of Zim poultry products

BOTSWANA has banned the importation of poultry products from Zimbabwe following an outbreak of avian influenza.

BY STAFF REPORTER

In a notice yesterday, the Botswana government said it was also cancelling the import permits that had been issued for Zimbabwe’s poultry products.

“The public is informed that an outbreak of avian influenza has been reported in Zimbabwe,” part of the Botswana government notice read.

“As a result, the import of domesticated and wild birds, their products (meat, eggs, feathers etc) and poultry feed from Zimbabwe is banned with immediate effect.

“All import permits issued for importing the listed items are cancelled with immediate effect. The documents are to be returned to the nearest veterinary office.”

On Monday, the Department of Veterinary Services said it had quarantined Irvine’s white meat and egg sub-sector after the country’s largest poultry producers reported an outbreak of avian influenza at its Harare factory.

On its part, Irvine’s said it had culled the entire flock at the site that had been quarantined.

“Independent local and international laboratory tests have confirmed that there is no evidence that the strain of avian flu in the affected birds, which has been detected in other countries, poses any danger to humans and all poultry products may be safely consumed,” the company said.