Poultry import ban includes SA, China

IRAQ had extended a ban on imports of frozen and live poultry products to cover two dozen countries, including China and South Africa, the government said yesterday. Baghdad last month restricted poultry imports from France, where an outbreak of avian flu has been reported. “The import of poultry and birds of all kinds… as well as both types of eggs (table and hatching), feathers and all products that use poultry or their products… is prohibited,” a government statement said. The affected exporters are: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Bhutan, China, Egypt, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, Mexico, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Palestine, South Africa, South Korea and Vietnam. – Reuters