New Delhi, June 07: India has banned the import of
live-stock, including poultry, and meat products to guard
against swine flu outbreak.
"Live-stock and live-stock products shall be prohibited
from all countries, in view of notifiable Avian Influenza,"
the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a
notification.
Livestock and live-stock products, including domestic and
wild birds (excluding poultry and captive birds), unprocessed
meat and meat products from avian species, wild birds, and the
semen of domestic and wild birds shall not be allowed into the
country, it said.
Imports of live poultry, eggs and their products, live
pigs, pathological material, and unprocessed feathers from the
countries reporting avian influenza have also been prohibited.
India has been largely insulated from swine flu that was
first broke out in Mexico and the US, although a few cases
have been reported from various parts of the country.
The World Health Organisation has reported 6,497
laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza A/H1N1 infection
from 33 countries.
According to official estimates, India imported around
USD 25 million live stock and its products during
April-December 2008.
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, June 07, 2009, 11:11