Hong Kong suspends poultry meat, products from Poland

The aim is to protect public health

17 January 2022

2 minute read

By: Melanie Epp

Europe

Asia

Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland suspended

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 14) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Lubartowski District, Bialski District and Biała Podlaska City of Lubelskie Region, and Tucholski District and Świecki District of Kujawsko-pomorskie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 4,070 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 24.82 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first nine months of last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

Effective immediately, the suspension aims to protect public health in Hong Kong, CFS said in a press release.

The regulatory authority made the announcement in light of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in several regions in Poland.

Census and Statistics Department data reveals that Hong Kong imported about 4,070 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 24.82 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first nine months of last year.

"The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks," said a CFS spokesperson. "Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation."