Hong Kong halts poultry imports from Poland, US amidst avian influenza outbreak

Hong Kong initially halted poultry imports from France.

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has ordered the suspension of the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from Morbihan, France; Lubuskie, Poland; and Florida, United States following an outbreak of a highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in the area.

This initiative is in response to the notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about the said outbreak.

According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 830 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 110,000 poultry eggs from France, 1,620 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, and 40,950 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and 13.86 million poultry eggs from the US in H1 2024.

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