Hong Kong suspends poultry import from US, UK

This is due to reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.

​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has suspended the import of poultry meat and products, including eggs, from specific areas in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The decision follows notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Highland of Scotland in the UK, and Union County, New Jersey in the US.

The CFS also suspended imports from Essex County, Morris County, Somerset County, and Middlesex County of the State of New Jersey, which are adjacent to Union County.

A CFS spokesman stated that, based on the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 910 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.34 million eggs from the UK.

Meanwhile, the city imported 79,630 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat, and about 19.6 million poultry eggs from the US last year.

"The CFS has contacted the British and American authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks,” the spokesman said.