Missions to take up ban on Indian poultry overseas: Government

NEW DELHI: Countries including UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have imposed ban on import of poultry products from India due to bird flu and the government has asked Embassies overseas to take up the issue with the authorities concerned to lift the restriction, Parliament was informed today.

"Yes. As per the information received from the trade and Indian Embassies, some countries like Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia have imposed ban on import of poultry products from India due to bird flu," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry D Purandeswari said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The minister said the country has taken up the matter with Indian Missions abroad requesting them to take up the issue with respective authorities for lifting of the ban.

She informed that bird flu was reported recently at Central Poultry Development Organisation, Bangalore.

"The control and containment operations were carried out immediately as per the action plan and the disease was contained at source," Purandeswari added.

She said the post-operational surveillance plan is now in progress in the state which will be continued for three months as per the action plan.

"Further all the states have been alerted to maintain a strict vigil and continue the surveillance in poultry birds for prevention of occurrence of bird-flu," she added.

India's poultry product exports increased to Rs 457 crore in 2011-12, from Rs 314 crore in 2010-11.

In an another reply, Purandeswari said that tea exports to Pakistan have gone up by "ten times" from 2.61 million kg in 2001-02 to 26.08 million kg in 2011-12.