Belarus restricts poultry imports from India, Romania

Belarus has imposed temporary trade restrictions on imports of poultry from India and Romania, effective April 1.
The trade bans, announced by the Belarus Veterinary and Food Control Department of the Agriculture and Food Ministry, were implemented to help prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) reported on cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Romania’s Constanta County and the Uttar Pradesh State of India. Both countries’ most recent cases were of the H5N1 serotype, but neither affected commercial poultry flocks.
The Romanian outbreak was confirmed on March 30 and involved Dalmatian pelicans. Of an estimated 250 susceptible pelicans, 64 died in that outbreak. India’s most recent outbreak of avian influenza, reported by OIE on March 26, affected crows.
According to a report from BelTA, Belarus has introduced restrictions on the import of live birds, hatching eggs, poultry meat, egg powder and other food products from processed eggs, down and feather, feed and feed additives from birds, feed of vegetable origin, game birds, and also second-hand equipment for keeping and slaughtering birds from the affected areas in Romania and India. All permits that had been previously issued permits to import those products from Constanta County, Romania and the Uttar Pradesh State of India have been cancelled.