German pork and poultry banned by Korea – dioxin cited

There are no longer imports of pork and poultry from Germany to Korea. The Korean government has banned imports from Germany, citing high levels of cancer causing dioxin in animal feed as the reason for the ban.

Korean officials have stated that German meat products are currently quarantined, until further inspections are carried out.

GMP+ International has suspended the GMP+ certificate of the business Harles und Jentzsch GmbH in Uetersen in Germany as of January 6, 2011. Abnormally high levels of the contaminant dioxin were found in agricultural products made by the German company. The company manufactures ingredients for poultry and swine feed.

Russia has also been affected by the dioxin scandal; the country is restricting meats imported from Germany.

Avian Influenza in South Korea spreading across the country

South Korea has confirmed its first bird flu outbreak in the Gyeonggi region near Seoul making it the first case to be reported in the province surrounding the capital city in nearly three years.

The farm ministry said a duck farm in Anseong, 77 kilometers south of Seoul, tested positive for the virulent strain of the H5N1 avian influenza after birds started dying off over the weekend. Concerns are now being raised that the highly contagious disease is spreading across the country despite quarantine efforts.

"All 32,000 ducks on the (Anseong) farm have already been ordered destroyed on Sunday as a precautionary measure, with 55,000 other birds within a 500-meter radius to be culled," an official said.

He said other birds within a 10-kilometer area of the poultry farm will be barred from being sold on the market or moved, while front-line inspectors will carefully monitor birds for sharp hikes in sudden deaths and drops in egg production.

The Anseong outbreak is the ninth confirmed in the country this winter after the first bird flu cases were confirmed by quarantine authorities on Dec. 31. Latest figures from the ministry confirm that 194,600 birds have been culled at infected farms, with many more being destroyed to prevent the spread of the bird flu.

The Philippines eyes poultry growth target

The Phillipine government expects the value of poultry production to hit or even exceed the official growth target of 2% for 2010, with the first three quarters already recording a 3% increase before the seasonal boost in the last three months of the year.

"Given the growth of [local poultry production] in the nine months [that ended in September] and a surge in demand for the product in the fourth quarter because of the holiday season, we expect it to register a two per cent growth or even exceed it," Bureau of Animal Industry director, Efren C. Nuestro, said in an interview with Business World.

In the nine months to September, poultry production grew 3.01% to 36.69 billion pesos (PHP) from the same period last year, data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) show.

"A two per cent or even a three per cent growth can be easily achieved. We have a lot of chicken supply at present. If the sub-sector already grew by three per cent in the [nine months to September], it can easily sustain this until the end of the year," said Elias Jose M. Inciong, executive vice-president of the Union of Broilers and Raisers Association.

South Korea suffers bird flu outbreak

South Korea has confirmed the first outbreak of bird flu since May 2008 and more than 100,000 birds have been slaughtered as authorities try to contain its spread.
Health authorities have stepped up inspections of wild birds and urged poultry businesses to take extra precautions such as erecting nets around their farms to keep wild birds out.

South Korea has been hit by avian influenza three times, with the last outbreak in April 2008.

Meanwhile, the country is experiencing a major outbreak of foot and mouth disease. More than 660,000 cattle, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals have been or will be soon slaughtered, with related losses estimated at more than 400 billion won (350 million dollars).

Phil. Gov’t bans imports of pork, poultry from S. Korea & Taiwan

From: Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=6281&src=2


THE GOVERNMENT has banned importation of pork from South Korea, as well as poultry and live birds from the same country and Taiwan, an Agriculture official said over the weekend.

Davinio P. Catbagan, director of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), said in a phone interview that the ban on pork, poultry products and live birds from South Korea was issued last Jan. 5, while the one on poultry and live birds from Taiwan was issued Jan. 26.
He attributed the ban to reports of outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) as well as low-pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, in those economies.

Last Jan. 30, South Korea reported its sixth FMD case in a cattle farm north of Seoul.
The same country reported last Jan. 26 that tests conducted in December last year confirmed that about 26,000 ducks in a farm in Seosan City were infected with the H5 strain of bird flu.
Taiwan, on the other hand, reported on Jan. 21 that 7,000 chickens in a farm in Changhua County, Taiwan died of the virus.

Last year, the Philippines imported 114.36 million kilograms of pork, 7.6% of which came from South Korea. But the Philippines does not import poultry or poultry products from either South Korea or Taiwan.

BAI data show that the local livestock sector lost about P2.3 billion to FMD between 1995-2005. The country has not had any reported case of the disease since then.

The Philippines has a pending application with the World Organization for Animal Health for "FMD-free without vaccination" status for Luzon -- the remaining part of the country without such certification.

Philippine government bans German poultry

As a result of an outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza, the government of the Philippines has temporarily banned imports of live birds and poultry products from Germany, as well as fromt the village of Saint Aubin du Plain in France.

The directive said the ban covers domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from the two areas.

On 16 November, France reported an outbreak in a duck farm in St. Aubin du Plain. The same influenza strain was detected in a bird farm in the state of Thuringen in Germany on 19 November.

"There is a need to prevent the entry of the low-pathogenic avian influenza virus to protect the health of the local poultry population," the orders read. "The department will immediately suspend the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of veterinary quarantine clearance to import the above-stated commodities."

The department also said it has set up more than 625 avian influenza task forces, while conducting community-based workshops in a bid to raise public awareness over the risks still posed by the avian influenza virus, despite the higher profile taken by A(H1N1) due to the pandemic.

In 2008, the Philippines imported 994,275 kg of poultry and poultry products worth $1.090 mln from France, data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show.

Philippines: Lower demand, less processing

WorldPoultry.net
http://www.worldpoultry.net/news/philippines-lower-demand-less-processing-4660.html


The Philippine meat processing industry expects its 2009 production volume to drop by 20% from 2008, reports Asian Agribusiness Group.
While volume is down, higher prices will still mean a growth in sales, albeit a small one at less that 10%, said Francisco Buencamino, Executive Director of the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc (PAMPI).

PAMPI had earlier aimed for an 8-10% increase in sales this year, but Buencamino said that “lower purchasing power of Filipinos” has dampened demand which led to lower volumes. He also said that the industry's imports of meat raw materials dropped by as much as 28%.

India: Thousands of poultry farms closing

From: WorldPoultry.net


Thousands of smaller poultry farmers are shutting their doors in Andhra Pradesh, said to be the "worst crisis" in over 30 years in the country, as farmers struggle with high input costs, particularly feed.
According to K.V.S. Subba Raju, Hyderabad Zonal Chairman of the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC), there was a 100% rise in feed cost since 2008, reports The Hindu. He said that a tonne soya bean was now costing Rs.25,000, as against Rs.12,5000-13,000 in October/November last year. The maize support price to be paid is now Rs.800 after taxes, almost double from Rs.450-500 about two years back, he told The Hindu.

Raju expressed concern over the rising prices of the poultry feed ingredients, which was forcing thousands of small/marginal egg and chicken growers to close shop. “The price of feed has become a major factor of daily uncertainty facing the industry in the state, as a result of which units being run by small and marginal are just collapsing, their running having become unviable,” he said.

Poultry production dropping

He explained that a farmer had to get Rs.60 for a kg of broiler for achieving the breakeven level. But with the current-day price of Rs.58 a kg it was increasingly becoming difficult for small/marginal poultry farmers to continue since there was no guarantee of survival. As a consequence there was less production of both eggs and chicken. The current cost of producing an egg by a farmer was Rs.2.25, whereas it was being sold for Rs.1.76, minus the commission of the middleman.

As a solution to tide over the crisis, he wanted the Government to immediately ban forwarding trading in maize and soya meal, since it was being indulged in by “speculators who blocked their movement by resorting to hoarding.”

Source: The Hindu

Russia expands flu ban to U.S. beef, poultry

By Tom Johnston on 4/28/2009
MeatingPlace.com

Russia has suspended imports of not only U.S. pork but also U.S. beef and poultry from certain U.S. states amid concerns of a hybrid swine, avian and human influenza (H1N1) as concerns about an international outbreak grow.

The bans apply to meat and poultry produced in California, Kansas, New York, Ohio and Texas, where cases of the hybrid flu have been reported.

Among the parties trying to fight the flu fears is the U.S. Meat Export Federation, which quickly denounced Russia's decision. USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng described it among the "demonstrated overreactions" by certain trading partners. He said in a weekly briefing that the group's international offices will be contacting central authorities to "get the correct facts out as quickly as possible."

The key fact is humans cannot get the hybrid flu from eating pork, a concern exacerbated by the term "swine flu," which experts now say is a misnomer since there have been no discoveries of the ailment in pigs &0151; let alone in cattle and chickens.

The American Meat Institute is trying to spread the word in a number of materials, including a posting on YouTube. In a statement, the group quotes Dr. Keiji Fukuda of the World Health Organization as saying, "Right now we have no evidence to suggest that people are getting exposed or getting infected from exposure to pork or to pigs. Right now we have zero evidence to suspect that exposure to meat leads to infections."

Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk on Tuesday urged all trading partners to base their decisions on scientific evidence per international obligations.

"Restrictions on U.S. pork or pork products or any meat products from the United States resulting from the recent outbreak do not appear to be based on scientific evidence and may result in serious trade disruptions without cause," he said in a statement.

USA - Sanderson Farms: lower production in 2009

US poultry processor Sanderson Farms expects its production to decrease 2% in 2009.

It is reported that this is largely a result of the poultry processor putting plans for a new North Carolina plant on hold due to difficult economic conditions.

"This is going to be the first year in a long time that our production will decrease," Sanderson CFO Mike Cockrell was quoted as saying.

The US poultry processor expects to process 2.4 bln

Phils. bans Japanese, Czech poultry imports

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:01:00 03/25/2009
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090325-196172/RP-bans-Japanese-Czech-poultry-imports

Filed Under: Consumer Issues, Plant and Animal Diseases, International (Foreign)Trade
MANILA, Philippines—Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap announced on Wednesday a ban on imports of birds and poultry products from Japan and the Czech Republic following official reports from the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or Animal Health Organization confirming outbreaks of the dreaded bird flu in these countries.

The ban covers "domestic and wild birds, and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen."

A similar ban on such imports from the US state of Idaho was lifted. But Yap said that based on the evaluation of the Bureau of Animal Industry, the risk of contamination from importing poultry and poultry products from Idaho was "negligible."

He said the OIE also validated a US report saying that bird flu has been eradicated in the area.

The state of Idaho earlier reported that the cleaning and disinfecting of the affected premises in Payette County were completed in October 29, 2008, and that ongoing surveillance had yet to detect any additional avian influenza cases.

Last month, the DOH temporarily banned the importation of cattle from China and the entry of birds and poultry from Belgium and the Canadian province of British Columbia following animal disease outbreaks in these areas.

This, after the OIE confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Xinjiang.

Phils. bans Japanese, Czech poultry imports

By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:01:00 03/25/2009
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090325-196172/RP-bans-Japanese-Czech-poultry-imports

Filed Under: Consumer Issues, Plant and Animal Diseases, International (Foreign)Trade
MANILA, Philippines—Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap announced on Wednesday a ban on imports of birds and poultry products from Japan and the Czech Republic following official reports from the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or Animal Health Organization confirming outbreaks of the dreaded bird flu in these countries.

The ban covers "domestic and wild birds, and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen."

A similar ban on such imports from the US state of Idaho was lifted. But Yap said that based on the evaluation of the Bureau of Animal Industry, the risk of contamination from importing poultry and poultry products from Idaho was "negligible."

He said the OIE also validated a US report saying that bird flu has been eradicated in the area.

The state of Idaho earlier reported that the cleaning and disinfecting of the affected premises in Payette County were completed in October 29, 2008, and that ongoing surveillance had yet to detect any additional avian influenza cases.

Last month, the DOH temporarily banned the importation of cattle from China and the entry of birds and poultry from Belgium and the Canadian province of British Columbia following animal disease outbreaks in these areas.

This, after the OIE confirmed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the Chinese provinces of Hubei and Xinjiang.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza in German duck

In the southern German state of Bavaria one of 39 wild ducks shot in January was positive for HPAI H5N1, 38 were negative for influenza A.

The cause of the infection of the bird could not be found. The place where the birds were killed is inside a risk zone, thus free-range holding of poultry is forbidden. There are no poultry holdings in the neighbourhood.

Measure that are applied to control the situation is basic control of wildlife reservoirs and further screening. Vaccination is prohibited and affected animals are to be euthanized and destroyed.

US Chicken processor in bid to exit bankruptcy

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation has announced that it is to idle three of its 32 US chicken processing plants in a bid to exit bankruptcy by the end of the year.
The move will reduce production output by nine to ten per cent, claims the company.

The chicken processor, like other US meat manufacturers, has been impacted negatively by a recession led slump in consumer demand and an oversupply of meat on the market.

AI found on two farms in the UK

Release Date: February 27, 2009
Birds on two poultry farms in the UK have tested positive for a strain of avian flu, according to ProMED-mail.

Veterinarians from DEFRA carried out the tests at Bernard Matthews breeder sites at Arran farm near Yaxham, Norfolk, and Laurel farm, in Ubbeston, Suffolk. The birds tested positive for avian influenza but not the highly pathogenic H5 or H7 types.

DEFRA has not advised a cull of the birds but has placed a movement restriction on them.

A second series of tests is taking place to identify the strain of influenza.

A.I. confirmed in second British Columbia flock

(MEATPOULTRY.com, February 12, 2009)
by Bryan Salvage


OTTAWA, ONTARIO – The H5 avian influenza virus has been confirmed in a second commercial poultry operation in southern British Columbia by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The flock was tested as part of the surveillance activities within three kilometers of the commercial poultry operation where low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza was detected on Jan. 24.

So far, tests indicate that the strain of avian influenza on the new premises is also low pathogenic and similar to the original strain identified on the index premises. More tests are being made to confirm the precise subtype and strain of the virus.

Every bird on the newly infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease-control guidelines. Once all birds have been removed, the C.F.I.A. will oversee the cleaning and disinfection of the facilities.

Movement restrictions on commercial operations within three kilometers of the new infected premises are in effect to limit any potential virus spread.

Three farms outside the three-kilometer radius around the first infected premises recently completed a 21-day monitoring period and met the requirements for quarantine release. Meanwhile, 33 farms are still under quarantine as a result of the first detection.

Animal health and public health authorities from the Province of British Columbia, local poultry specialists and industry are collaborating in this response effort.

Phils: Corn Shortage Likely to Up Pork and Chicken Prices

THE PHILIPPINES - An agricultural lawmaker has warned of possible increases in the price of pork and chicken as the country faces a shortage of corn.

According to AGAP party-list group Rep. Nicanor Briones, the shortage of corn would definitely have an impact on the price of pork, chicken and eggs since corn comprises 50 per cent of the feeds animal raisers use.

“As it is now, there is a price hike on chicken and pork and it will continue to increase if there will be a corn shortage,” Briones said.

Moreover, corn prices increased in January to between 25 and 28 pesos (PHP) a kilo from PHP 12 to 13 a kilo, reports The Manila Times.

However, Mr Briones said the price of corn went down to PHP 18 a kilo this month because of the importation of 100,000 metric tons of young corn from Brazil and 120,000 tonnes of feed wheat from Ukraine.

He said the country would import more corn, 62,500 tonnes this month and 187,500 tonnes from March to May to meet the demand until the second quarter of the year.

He added that corn is being pegged at 600,000 tonnes in the coming months.

According to Mr Briones, the original plan was to course the privately financed importation through the National Food Authority (NFA) to expedite the process and minimize, if not lift, the 35 per cent tariff duty on imports.

But NFA imposes a fixed tariff of Php 4 for a kilo of corn, which is not beneficial to the farmers especially when the price of corn in the world market has gotten really low.

The Department of Agriculture has said NFA should have a buffer stock of 75,000 tonnes to 100,00 tonnes of corn to shield the farmers from shortages and possible unscrupulous hoarding.

In light of this development, Mr Briones has asked the Agriculture department to bring down the fixed tariff to PHP 2 a kilo to help the poor farmers, and avoid the subsequent increases in the price of pork and chicken.

Chicken prices on the rise

Chicken prices on the rise
(MEATPOULTRY.com, February 06, 2009)
by MEAT&POULTRY Staff
http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=99875&e=ghuerto@gmail.com

WASHINGTON – Since last summer, the U.S. poultry industry has been in a contraction phase as higher feed costs, over-supplies of broiler meat, as well as the deterioration of domestic and foreign markets have pressured wholesale poultry prices and left the industry struggling to preserve any type of profit margins, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center.

As a result of significant industry cutbacks in eggs set and chicks placed as well as the hatchery flock, the available supply of broiler meat on the market has started to decline dramatically and broiler-meat prices, especially breast-meat prices, have started to increase.

Weekly prices for skinless, boneless breast meat in 2008 averaged about $1.29 per lb., 12% or 0.18 cents per lb. below 2007’s and 10% lower than the 2002-2006 average. Although boneless, skinless breast prices started off 2008 rather strong, reaching a weekly high price of $1.54 per lb. in May, by mid-summer boneless, skinless breast prices crumbled and fell to a weekly low of $0.98 cents per lb. in November. Prices have improved since then as the effects of much tighter supplies have taken hold.

At the onset of January 2009, weekly breast meat prices were at $1.18 per lb.; by the last week (weekending January 27th) prices had jumped to $1.31 per lb., 3% higher than the same week last year and a three week gain of about $0.13 per lb. In fact, it is the first yearly increase in weekly breast prices since last February.

Broiler meat prices are forecasted to generally increase looking forward due to tighter supplies however prices for export items such as legs and thighs might not benefit as much as breast meat prices. U.S. broiler production for the first quarter is forecast to be down 6% from a year ago. For the year, U.S. production is expected to be down 4% to 5% and the smallest since 2006.

Chicken prices on the rise

Chicken prices on the rise
(MEATPOULTRY.com, February 06, 2009)
by MEAT&POULTRY Staff
http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=99875&e=ghuerto@gmail.com

WASHINGTON – Since last summer, the U.S. poultry industry has been in a contraction phase as higher feed costs, over-supplies of broiler meat, as well as the deterioration of domestic and foreign markets have pressured wholesale poultry prices and left the industry struggling to preserve any type of profit margins, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center.

As a result of significant industry cutbacks in eggs set and chicks placed as well as the hatchery flock, the available supply of broiler meat on the market has started to decline dramatically and broiler-meat prices, especially breast-meat prices, have started to increase.

Weekly prices for skinless, boneless breast meat in 2008 averaged about $1.29 per lb., 12% or 0.18 cents per lb. below 2007’s and 10% lower than the 2002-2006 average. Although boneless, skinless breast prices started off 2008 rather strong, reaching a weekly high price of $1.54 per lb. in May, by mid-summer boneless, skinless breast prices crumbled and fell to a weekly low of $0.98 cents per lb. in November. Prices have improved since then as the effects of much tighter supplies have taken hold.

At the onset of January 2009, weekly breast meat prices were at $1.18 per lb.; by the last week (weekending January 27th) prices had jumped to $1.31 per lb., 3% higher than the same week last year and a three week gain of about $0.13 per lb. In fact, it is the first yearly increase in weekly breast prices since last February.

Broiler meat prices are forecasted to generally increase looking forward due to tighter supplies however prices for export items such as legs and thighs might not benefit as much as breast meat prices. U.S. broiler production for the first quarter is forecast to be down 6% from a year ago. For the year, U.S. production is expected to be down 4% to 5% and the smallest since 2006.

Migratory birds suspected in B.C. A.I. cases

(MEATPOULTRY.com, February 02, 2009)
by MEAT&POULTRY Staff

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Recent outbreaks of avian influenza in Canada’s Fraser Valley region may have occurred due to the prevalence of migratory birds in the area, according to The Associated Press. The same H5 strain of the virus was detected in some turkeys on a property owned by two brothers in January, and 60,000 turkeys were culled on an Abbotsford farm last week.

Tests results indicate the virus has not spread within a two mile quarantine zone, however the Washington Department of Agriculture increased tests for the virus at 13 farms in Whatcom County several miles to the south.

"We're on the Pacific flyway, so there are lots of birds passing through every year," said Ronald Lewis, the province's chief veterinary officer, "and we know wild waterfowl carry a variety of different strains of avian influenza."

Meanwhile, Fraser Valley poultry producers are awaiting tests to determine how contagious the virus in the latest outbreak may be.