CHINA – Hong Kong’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has recently halted poultry imports from specific regions in France, Poland, and the United States.
The decision was made to mitigate the risk of avian influenza transmission and to safeguard public health.
The suspension follows notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) regarding an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in France’s Morbihan Department, as well as the emergence of the H5N1 avian influenza strain in Świebodziński District of Lubuskie Region in Poland and Hillsborough County in Florida, USA.
A spokesperson from the CFS highlighted that, according to data from the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported approximately 830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and around 110,000 poultry eggs from France in the first half of the year.
During the same period, about 1,620 tonnes of frozen poultry meat were imported from Poland, while the United States supplied about 40,950 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 13.86 million poultry eggs.
In 2023, Hong Kong’s imports were primarily dominated by frozen cuts and edible offal of species Gallus domesticus, which accounted for 45% (335 million US$) of total poultry imports.
Fresh or chilled meat from the same species represented 29% (216 million US$) of imports.
The CFS has reached out to the respective authorities in France, Poland, and the United States to discuss the situation.
The agency is closely monitoring updates from WOAH and other relevant bodies concerning the avian influenza outbreaks and has pledged to take further actions as the situation evolves.
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