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The Agri-Food & Veterinary
Authority (AVA) has inspected and is satisfied that the necessary measures
that are needed to maintain Johor and Malacca as a bird-flu free zone have
been put in place by the Malaysian authorities.
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AVA will thus lift the ban of
import of poultry and eggs from Johor and Malacca with effect from 30 Sep
2004. This will be for as long as the current bird flu outbreak in Malaysia is
contained in Kelantan.
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AVA has been working closely with
Malaysia’s Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) over the last 4 weeks on
partial lifting of the ban on Malaysian poultry and eggs, without compromising
public and animal health.
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DVS had earlier proposed that
Singapore resume imports from areas that are free of bird flu in Malaysia.
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AVA agreed to consider lifting the
import suspension on the southern states of Johor and Malacca, provided
Malaysia has put in place all the necessary disease prevention and control
measures that are in line with international standards.
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Towards this end, AVA had sent
inspection teams to Malaysia on 3 occasions between 7 Sep 2004 and 25 Sep 2004
to observe the adequacy and implementation of the measures.
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The control measures that DVS has
implemented include the following:
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(i) DVS has contained outbreaks
within Kelantan to date. Malaysia has also intensified patrols and set up
roadblocks at towns along the Kelantan border. Police and army personnel have
been mobilised to check the movement of birds in Kelantan to prevent the bird
flu outbreak from spreading to other states.
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(ii) DVS has secured a buffer zone
of states adjoining Johor and Malacca and intensified disease surveillance in
the buffer zone.
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(iii) Malaysia has invoked
legislation to control the movements of poultry and poultry products
(including eggs) from other Malaysian states into Johor and Malacca. Movement
of poultry and poultry products must be approved by DVS.
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(iv) Malaysia has imposed
effective ground measures to control the movement of poultry and poultry
products into Johor and Malacca.
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(v) DVS will inspect all
accredited farms in Johor and Malacca before issuing export permits and health
certificates to certify freedom of disease for each consignment of poultry or
eggs.
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(vi) DVS will also inspect every
export consignment at the Johor side of the
Second Link prior to entry into Singapore.
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In addition to the above measures,
AVA will inspect all import consignments again upon entry at the Tuas
checkpoint.
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The many layers of checks, at the
accredited farms and at the export and import checkpoints, will help to
minimize the risks of infected poultry consignments entering Singapore
undetected.
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85 chicken broiler farms, 7 layer
farms, and 3 duck broiler farms in Johor and Malacca have been approved to
resume exports to Singapore.
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The supply of egg, chicken and
duck may fluctuate in the first few weeks when the suspension is lifted as
some of the farms clear out their existing stock and restock with day-old
birds.
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Nonetheless, frozen chicken and
ducks will help to buffer the supply fluctuation until the supply situation
stabilises.
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The resumption of imports from
Johor and Malacca will, however, only apply to commercial consignments from
the accredited farms.
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Members of the public are reminded
that the ban on individuals bringing in poultry and poultry products from
Malaysia still remains. This is a necessary precautionary measure to ensure
that only poultry and poultry products from AVA-accredited sources in the
bird-flu free zone are allowed to enter Singapore.
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Source: Agri-food
& Veterinary Authority, Ministry of National Development Press Release
28 Sep 2004
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Resumption of poultry & egg imports from Malacca & Johor
