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.

16 percent of chicken consumed in Chile is imported

The latest bulletin issued by the Poultry Producers Association of Chile (APA) highlighted the increase in chicken cuts imported into Chile. According to the document, "total chicken imports increased by 12.6 percent between January and September 2014, compared to the same period the previous year, showing an upward trend so far this year, which has meant strong competition for domestic producers."
In the same report, the APA stated that "imports volume has increased and that there is greater diversity of products and cuts from the U.S., Argentina and Brazil. In this scenario, consumers have benefited the most, because of the intense competition that has generated presentations and brands of the same cut in different outlets."
The U.S. has become Chile’s leading provider of leg quarters, while most boneless chicken breasts come from Brazil. Argentina is Chile’s leading provider of frozen whole chickens. These three chicken cuts represent around 74 percent of chicken imports into Chile, where chicken quarters is the cut mostly imported into this market.
The study concludes by stating that "this growth in imports means that today 16 percent of the various chicken cuts consumed by Chileans are of foreign origin, somewhat higher than reported in previous years."

Qatar looks to Portugal for poultry imports

Looking to fill a growing demand for chicken as its population grows, Qatar has reportedly entered talks with Portugal to export poultry into Qatar. Presently, Qatar depends on imports to meet about 85 percent of its poultry meat demand. 
Qatar Chamber Board Member Eng Ali Abdul Latif al Missned told the Qatar Tribune that Portugal's meat and poultry products are high in quality and follow slaughtering procedures that are in line with halal standards, therefore, it is hoped that Portugal can become Qatar’s main supplier of poultry. 
Reciprocal opportunities for trade between Portugal and Qatar are being sought in the negotiations, as Qatar hopes export timber and building materials, as well as certain agricultural commodities, to Portugal.

Higher tariffs on poultry imports urged in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill is being urged by Morobe Governor Kelly Naru to impose higher tariffs for poultry imports in an effort to aid the country's poultry industry. If higher tariffs are not an option, the government should look into giving subsidies to poultry producers in Papua New Guinea, Naru added.
The cheap import of poultry to Papua New Guinea has greatly affected the Papua New Guinea poultry industry, Naru said.
"The cheap importation of poultry products is affecting our farmers, our businesses, our two big poultry companies in Zenag Highlands and Tablebirds, as well as our small holder farmers because of the cheap overseas chickens and eggs," said Naru.
O'Neill is expected to direct relevant departments to look into the matter, according to the Solomon Star.

Chile recalls chicken tested positive for dioxin

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service is issuing a public notification of a recall being conducted by the Chilean Ministry of Health for chicken products. After receiving official notification from the government of Chile of the positive result for dioxin in the chicken products, the Food Safety and Inspection Service instructed importers to hold product, which was presented for re-inspection.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service has determined that 188,522 pounds of chicken may be affected and 126,082 pounds is currently being held. The agency is investigating the distribution of the remaining 62,440 pounds and verifying if additional shipments are involved.
Based on the information provided by the Chilean government, the Food Safety and Inspection Service has reason to believe that recent shipments of poultry from Chile contain dioxin, and, because they have been recalled, they are unfit for consumption. Specifically, all products produced at San Vicente between May 29 and June 12 are considered adulterated and should be destroyed.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service may expand the public notification and will take necessary and appropriate action after analyzing updated information received from the government of Chile. The Chilean Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture oversees the recall activities and investigations in Chile. Food Safety and Inspection Service is performing effectiveness checks in the U.S. by verifying that those companies that received implicated product from the Chile-initiated recall have been notified and that all adulterated product is held and destroyed.
Dioxins are a group of inorganic compounds that form naturally during forest fires, as well as from industrial emissions and burning trash. They are incorporated into plants and are potentially eaten by animals where they become concentrated in animal fat. People are exposed to low levels of dioxins through their diet with lesser exposure from air and soil. At very high doses for a prolonged period, dioxins can have adverse health effects. FSIS has determined that exposure to dioxin in the product is low and does not pose a health threat.

Three countries halt Arkansas poultry imports due to bird flu

China, Japan and Russia have stopped importing poultry from Arkansas due to an outbreak of H7N7 avian influenza in a single commercial chicken house in Scott County, according to a state agriculture official. The infection has been contained, and the affected flock of about 9,000 birds has been euthanized, said the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission.
"It's a serious issue for the state's economy … poultry is a big business," said Livestock and Poultry Commission Director Preston Scroggin. He also said that the loss of imports to China, Japan and Russia "could run into the hundreds of millions" and that he hopes the three countries will resume importing soon after the quarantine of all poultry within the affected area has been lifted - within 90 days.
Poultry production amounts to about 47 percent of the state's agriculture revenue, said Scroggin.
The affected poultry was on a farm that raises chickens for Tyson Foods. Tyson spokesman Worth Sparkman said the strain of the avian flu found in Scott County was mild and "we believe there was never any threat to human health."

Poultry business unit challenges hurt Afgri’s profits

Challenges in its poultry business unit are partly to blame for a drop in Afgri’s profits during the 2012 half-year ending in December 2012, the South African company’s chief executive officer said.
Afgri’s profits dropped from $14.68 million to $12.7 million, despite a 17.5 percent increase in revenue for the period.
“High input cost pressure and a drop in consumer demand due to historically high levels of poultry imports and an oversupplied market resulted in a loss,” Afgri CEO Chris Venter said.
The company is working with industry and governmental groups to find a solution to the problem, Venter said, but the timing of the import tariffs remains unclear and are not expected to provide any relief for the remainder of the financial year.
Afgri is continuously moitoring the valuation of the poultry business unit, and for the most current period, no impairment was necessary. However, should the proposed additional tariffs and other governmental initiatives that could harm the unit materialize, an impairment will be considered, the company stated.

Imports signal how hard poultry industry hit

On two occasions over the past two months, shipments of Brazilian corn have been sent to Georgia's port of Brunswick.
The ships' arrival -- the first two in the port's history -- underscores how the drought has sent corn prices upward and has hurt the north Georgia poultry industry, which relies heavily on corn for feed.
"Pain is the right word," Tom Hensley, president of Fieldale Farms, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fieldale is spending an extra $50 million on chicken feed this year. "We now have more days between flocks which means, over the course of a year, we make less money. And the price of beef and chicken is at an all-time high."
Inventories of corn remain at historically low levels, and continued drought could easily make the situation worse.
Farmers planted 96 million acres of corn this year, the most since 1937. In the spring, the per-bushel price of corn was about $5. Then the rain stopped, crops withered, farmers harvested only 88 million acres and the price rose to $8.50.
Some agribusiness giants have realized it was cheaper to import corn from Brazil than to pay Midwestern prices for feed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projected imports at a record 1.9 million metric tons, a stunning turnaround for the world's biggest producer and exporter of corn.
The University of Georgia estimated that higher corn prices cost the chicken processors an extra $430 million this year in feed. Loath to pass along higher prices to consumers, poultry producers trimmed supply. Fieldale Farms, for example, turns 3 million chickens a week into breasts, thighs, wings and nuggets, a 10 percent reduction from last year.

Iraq poultry imports up on population, demand growth

Iraq's poultry imports are steadily increasing due to population growth, rising incomes resulting from oil revenues, and its price advantage over red meats, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report.
Total imports for 2012, including transshipments through regional countries, are expected to be 603,000 metric tons, up 3 percent from 2011's 598,000 metric tons. U.S. poultry exports to Iraq in 2012, including transshipments, are expected to decline moderately to 137,000 metric tons from 2011's 160,000 metric tons due to difficulties with precertification requirements and increased competition from other suppliers (i.e., turkey). Yet the outlook for U.S. poultry imports remains positive, as imports are expected to continue increasing with the growing market, according to the USDA.
Iraq’s precertification program continues to be U.S. poultry’s largest obstacle to trade with Iraq. Precertification was proposed by the Ministry of Planning/Central Organization for Standards and Quality Control, approved by the Council of Ministers in December 2010, and implemented July 1, 2011. It was enacted to control imports of substandard and unsafe product, a serious problem. Products arriving in the lower 15 provinces in 2011 and 2012 were required to have a certificate of conformity issued.
However, the northern Kurdish region did not implement precertification for food products, so poultry enters Iraq from Turkey without issue. Precertification has proven to be a major technical barrier to U.S. trade and ineffective in controlling import quality and safety, and has distorted normal trading patterns and routes resulting in increased transshipments to Iraq through regional countries.

Venezuela poultry production, consumption to continue expanding through 2012

The average monthly production of Venezuelan chicken in 2011 was about 80,000 metric tons, and it should increase to 86,400 metric tons in 2012, according to the Venezuelan Poultry Federation, FENAVI (Federación Venezolana de Avicultura). The average production of eggs for human consumption during 2011 was 1.18 million boxes of 360 units and it is estimated to increase about four percent in 2012.
The total per-capita consumption of all meat in Venezuela is approximately 73.5 kg. About 53 percent of this amount is provided by the chicken sector (38.96 kg per capita per year). Poultry consumption is increasing faster than that of beef and pork because poultry remains relatively inexpensive compared to other sources of animal protein, according to FENAVI.
All poultry imports are carried out by the government of Venezuela, largely from Brazil. Imports of poultry meat were reported at 226,181 tons during 2011 and are estimated to increase in 2012. January to June imports reached 117,475 tons.
Domestic eggs and poultry remain under a price control policy, though according to industry sources, the controlled retail price for poultry products does not fully compensate for increasing costs of production. The poultry sector represents 30 percent of Venezuela’s total agricultural gross domestic product and over 48 percent of its animal production. Poultry production is the most important component of Venezuela’s agricultural production by value, with 24 percent of the total. The government continues to play an active role as a poultry supplier and importer through its state-owned food distribution networks.

Vietnam 2012 broiler imports estimated up

Vietnam’s estimated total broiler meat imports for 2012 are forecast to be dramatically higher than 2002, while the country’s broiler meat production is estimated to increase only 4 percent since 2002 numbers, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service's latest report.
Total domestic consumption for 2012, meanwhile, is estimated to be 102 percent higher than 2002. Per-capita broiler meat consumption for 2012 is forecast to be 7.6 kilograms per person, up from 4.26 kilograms per person in 2002. Vietnam's total poultry consumption forecasts for 2012–2021, including chicken and turkey, are for it to climb 37 percent. Total poultry meat production is also estimated to increase 27 percent, while total poultry imports rise 49 percent over the same time frame, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service report.
U.S. broiler meat January–June cumulative total exports to Vietnam are 38 percent below 2011, but substantially above 2002 for the same time frames. To date in 2012 about 76 percent of U.S. broiler meat exports to Vietnam have been leg quarters. Other poultry meat exports are down 68 percent from the same time frames in 2011. However, frozen chicken paws and feet, the largest component of the other poultry meat category so far in 2012, are up 63 percent, according to the report. January–June cumulative turkey meat exports are 145 percent higher than 2011, while in 2002 no turkey meat exports were recorded for comparable time frames to Vietnam.

South Africa poultry importers may get tariff refunds

South Africa poultry importers bringing product in from Brazil may get a refund of the temporary tariffs they've been paying for the last six months unless the final duties are imposed by Aug. 10 and exceed the current charges, according to reports.
"If these final duties are not imposed on [Aug. 10], then importers will be refunded their money for the past six months,” said consultant Francois Dubbelman, who is representing the South African Poultry Association. “This will have a bad effect on South Africa’s poultry industry. It will mean importers can continue with what they are doing.” The tariffs were imposed after initial investigations revealed that Brazilian poultry producers were dumping product in South Africa. Brazil filed a dispute against South Africa in June over the anti-dumping measures.
If the final duties exceed the current provisional tariff, importers won’t have to pay the difference, they will only start paying the new higher duty, said Dubbelman. “However, if it is lower than what they currently pay, they will have to be refunded the difference.”

Guyana grants chicken import duty waiver

Guyana's commerce ministry has granted a temporary duty waiver on chicken imports to combat the scarcity of the commodity in local markets and help lower prices, according to Acting Commerce and Industry Minister Irfan Ali.
Twelve importers have been granted approval to import one million pounds of chicken for a three-month period at a 50 percent duty waiver. The licenses will be good through September 12. According to the Ministry, the markets will be regularly reviewed to ensure consumers can obtain chicken in adequate supply and at affordable prices. “In the next six weeks we will have a further assessment of the sector to ensure that the situation is stabilized [and to see] if we still have a shortage,” said Ali.

Bhutan poultry farmers ask government to control imports

Bhutanese poultry farmers from the south province Sarpang have submitted a petition to the government's national poultry development center, urging it to control the increasing amount of frozen chicken being imported into the country, according to reports.
The imports are affecting both the local market and the livelihoods of the producers, said the farmers. Besides having to compete with sheer volume, farmers said the imported chicken is being sold at lower prices compared to its fresh domestic counterpart. A kilogram of frozen chicken costs 160 ngultrum (US$2.90), which is sold to customers in bulk at 110–120 ngultrum ($2.00 to $2.10), while fresh chickens are sold for 140 ngultrum ($2.50) per kilogram.
Farmers are asking the government to set up a small processing unit at the local level, so their chicken looks cleaner and therefore more appealing to consumers. "Having to do everything manually, and unable to undergo proper processing, make the locally produced chickens look unclean,” they said. “Packaging is the main factor that is causing a majority to opt for frozen chicken, which looks much cleaner and well processed.”
In 2010, poultry farmers in Bhutan produced 116 metric tons of chicken, while the country imported 597.877 metric tons of frozen chicken.

Namibia poultry levy concerns importers

Namibia's infant industry protection levy on imported poultry products, a 46 percent excise duty meant to give domestic production a boost in the country, has poultry importers uncertain of the effects the move may have on their bottom lines, according to reports.
The levy was supposed to go into effect on June 1, but the implementation date has been deferred pending completion of the official notification process. Importers say millions of dollars and at least 2,000 metric tons of poultry products that cross Namibia's borders each month are involved in their concerns. They say they worry that the levy is contrary to regional integration efforts, as it will stifle cross-border trade, and could wipe out small businesses.
Importers also believe the levy could lead to Namib Poultry Industry, the country's largest local poultry producer, charging higher prices to domestic consumers, something the company has refuted. Namib Poultry Industry said it will "strive to price its products competitively, which will be to the benefit of the Namibian consumer," in addition to the N$500 million investment the company has already made in the local industry. The company also said that the levy will benefit Namibia's entire poultry industry, not just Namib Poultry Industry.
The infant industry protection status would see imported poultry products levied 46 percent from the first year until the fourth year. The levy would be gradually reduced to 30 percent before it comes down to 20 percent in the last two years of the eight-year period.

Philippines suspends Taiwan poultry imports on bird flu concerns

The Philippines has suspended imports of Taiwanese poultry and related products due to recent reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza on at least one chicken farm in Taiwan, according to the Philippines' Department of Agriculture.
The most recent outbreak was reported on a farm in Liujia, Tainan. The Philippines is one of only a few Asian countries that are avian-flu free, according to Department of Agriculture officials, and they hope to use that status to expand the country's poultry commercial opportunities.

Ghana government will not ban poultry imports

Ghana has no immediate plans to ban poultry imports into the country, in spite of farmers' concerns that the domestic market is being hampered by foreign business, according to reports.
While a ban isn't being ruled out, there must first be a boost in local production, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Dr. Sugri Tia. Tariffs are another option not completely ruled out, but not being put into effect at the moment. “Consumption of poultry has been very low and people’s purchasing power has not been the best, and we are trying to push local production while encouraging people to consume more," said Tia. "So we want to keep their appetite for chicken there.”
Cost is also a consideration — reducing imports would mean a price increase that the government says it doesn't want to impose on consumers. “At the same time we don’t want our farmers to be out of production, so we are trying to find innovative ways of helping them produce locally while we watch what is going on," said Tia.

Chile farmers ask for additional import duties on Argentina poultry

Chile's farm bureau is petitioning for a 15 percent surcharge duty on imported Argentine chicken, an additional import duty of 25 percent on corn with a high percentage of cracked kernels and a 30 percent duty for feed mixtures with significant cracked corn content, according to reports.
Chicken imports to Chile have increased by 20 percent since 2008. As corn is Chile's second most important crop and forms the basis for the Chilean poultry industry, imports of cracked corn from Argentina have grown 639 percent and feed mixtures have increased by 41 percent, said the bureau. Roughly 70 percent of the total cost in the poultry industry is due to corn prices, and Chilean corn growers could lose up to US$108 million if Argentina prices aren't modified.

Thailand poultry exporters income to increase after EU ban lifted

Thailand's poultry exporters could earn as much as Bt10 billion (US$322.14 million) in extra income in 2012 after the European Union's decision to lift its eight-year ban on the imports of fresh chicken meat from Thailand, effective July 1.
The ban lift came from the country's stringent measures to contain any possible bird flu outbreaks and its improved laboratory system, according to a senior official with the EU Commission. No bird flu has been reported in Thailand for more than three consecutive years.
Thailand's annual poultry quota granted by the EU is 92,610 metric tons, but it has been unable to use that quota due to the ban. The country is also trying to open the Japanese and Korean markets to increase its export volume. Current estimates put exports to the EU at 50,000 metric tons of fresh chicken meat, for Bt4 billion (US$128.86 million).

South Korea bans Taiwan poultry imports

South Korea has banned imports of all poultry products, including live birds, from Taiwan after Taiwan announced an outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, according to reports. The ban prohibits inbound shipments of any poultry products from Taiwan that have been produced since Dec. 7, 2011. Taipei said its first confirmed case dates back to Dec. 27, 2011, according to South Korea's Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the H5N2 strain of avian influenza reported is known to have a maximum incubation period of 21 days. "In addition, we are advising all local farmers to avoid visiting Taiwan and any poultry farms there to help prevent an inflow of [the] virus to the country," said the ministry.