HONG KONG – No dioxins have been found in German foods bound for Hong Kong.

For the second time in less than a week, multiple foods imported from German have passed dioxin tests by Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety, known for its ability to sniff out chemicals in edibles.

Food Safety News reports that getting its food products back into Hong Kong is a sign the German dioxin scandal may be on the wane. Last Saturday, the Center for Food Safety took samples from five shipments of food products that were bound for Hong Kong consumers. All passed.

A CFS spokesman said: “In view of the recent detection of dioxin in some eggs, poultry, and pork produced in Germany, samples were collected in the local market (Hong Kong) in the past few days and sent to the Government Laboratory for dioxin testing.”

The spokesman reiterated that, according to information from the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, with the exception of two consignments of eggs exported to the United Kingdom via the Netherlands, no products suspected to be contaminated with dioxin were exported to other countries.

The German authorities had suspended food exports from the effected farms and processing plants.

“We will continue liaison with the German authorities and the European Commission on the latest developments, and monitor the situation closely,” the CFS spokesman added.

 On 19 January, the CFS also announced that it had tested 11 more samples of imported German food products and each one passed the dioxin test. This means that to date, all 16 German foods have passed Hong Kong’s dioxin monitors.

“In view of the recent detection in Germany of dioxin in some eggs, poultry and pork produced in the country, samples of imported German food products have been collected from the market at the import level and sent to the Government Laboratory for dioxin testing,” the CFS spokesman said.

The second batch of comprised four samples of eggs. three samples of poultry products, two samples of pork and two samples of pork products. Hong Kong’s measures to hold and examine imported German eggs, poultry as well as pork and pork products will remain in place.

Food Safety News reports that Germany has been dealing with the dioxin scandal since a now defunct company mixed dioxin-tainted industrial oil with oil intended for animal feed. Sales were temporarily shutdown on 5,000 egg, pork, and poultry farm by German officials.

Information from PoultrySite

JAPAN – Wild birds are reported to have died of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at two location across the country.

The authorities sent Follow Up Report No. 2 dated 19 January to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

It reports the deaths of wild birds at two locations. The first were five hooded cranes (Grus monacha) on 18 Decenber at Izumi Crane Park in Kagoshima prefecture on the southern tip of Kyushu Island. And on 4 January, two tufted ducks ( Aythya fuligula) were found dead at Toyoda-cho water purification facility at Koriyama city in Fukushima prefecture, which is in the east of Honshu Island.

The presence of H5N1 sub-type of the HPAI virus has been confirmed in each case.

Information from the PoultrySite

MALAYSIA – The Terengganu veterinary department has advised chicken breeders to vaccinate their poultry in view of the disease epidemic in the state.

Deputy Director, Dr Ahmad Shafri Hassan, said the disease had infected fowl in several areas of Kuala Terengganu, according to New Straits Times, citing a report in Bernama.

“We advise chicken breeders in areas still free of the disease to have their livestock vaccinated,” he said.

Thousands of chicken in the district have died of the disease in the last week, causing the breeders to lose more than 100,000 ringgit (MYR).

Dr Ahmad Shafri said that many breeders had stopped vaccinating their chicken because the disease had not occured for a long time.

Terengganu Breeders Association secretary, Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, said that disease normally followed a flood.

He said the association had asked breeders in villages not affected by the disease to contact the veterinary office to help them protect their poultry.

Information from PoultrySite

PAKISTAN – Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) is organising an exhibition on livestock, dairy, fisheries and poultry on 7 and 8 February 2011 at Expo Centre Karachi.

After the success if Sindh Investment Conference 2010, the SBI intends to promote the potential of livestock, dairy and fisheries sector in the province, said Zubair Motiwala, advisor to CM on investment along with Abid Jatoi, minister Livestock and Fisheries and DG SBI Younus Dagha at a press briefing.

According to Business Recorder, in order to highlight investment opportunities in Sindh, the SBI has decided to organise a livestock, dairy, fisheries and poultry exhibition on 7 and 8 February at Expo Centre Karachi, he said.

The exhibition will showcase a comprehensive range of technical, business and financial information for the entire Sindh’s livestock, dairy and fisheries (LDF) sector. Foreign and local players in the entire value chain of the LDF are expected to participate as exhibitors whereas prominent businessmen, prospective investors, diplomatic missions, multilateral agencies and academia.

The event aims to bring in investors, buyers and consumers under one roof to discuss and share ideas to promote this sector. Investors and businessmen are invited to discuss their experiences in these sectors and project their products in the exhibition. 

Information from PoultrySite 

MYANMAR – A new outbreak of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been reported in layer pullets on a farm in a western coastal district.

The authorities sent an Immediate Notification dated 18 January to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The report describes a single outbreak of HPAI at the village of Bumay-Letthamar in the Sittwe region of Rakhine state. It started on 6 January and a total of 500 birds died from an 800-bird laying flock. The remaining birds have been destroyed.

The source of the infection is unknown, according to the report. The layer chickens were three months old. There were a total of 800 chickens. Chicken deaths started from 6 January and a total of 500 chickens died. HPAI virus was detected by PCR. There are eight farms in this village with a total of 5,000 chickens. All are layer chickens of different ages.

The presence of the H5 sub-type of the HPAI virus has been confirmed.  

The last outbreak of HPAI in the country was in March 2010. 

Information from PoultrySite

SOUTH KOREA – There were 23 new outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), across the western side of the country, particularly in the far south-west.

The authorities sent Follow Up Report No.4 dated 17 January to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

All outbreaks reported were on farms and started between 6 and 13 January. Most were on ducks farms in the regions of Jeollabuk-do ( North Jeolla ), Chungcheongnam-do ( South Chungcheong ) and Gyeonggi-do.

In all, some 702,820 bird were involved, of which 20,307 showed symptoms and/or died and the remaining 682,523 have been destroyed.

The report adds that there were notifications of HPAI suspected cases from farmers. They were proved as HPAI virus H5N1 subtype in NVRQS. The poultry in the affected farms and in the area within a 500-metre radius from the affected farms were culled and buried. Disinfection and clinical surveillance in the area within 10-km radius from the affected farms has been intensified.

The presence of the H5N1 sub-type of the HPAI virus has been confirmed.

Information from PoultrySite

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – The flooding in Queensland that attracted so much world media attention in the last weeks is now hitting the state of Victoria.

A central Victorian poultry producer says about 300,000 chickens drowned when sheds at its Serpentine farm were flooded on Saturday (15 January), reports ABC.

Hazledene’s Chicken’s Vicki Gaudion estimates the loss will cost the company up to A$5 million.

Ms Gaudion says it only took an hour to flood the sheds.

She told ABC: “On Saturday afternoon, I received a call from the SES saying it was only two hours away, and we still believed we could have saved the farm but it was just too big.

Information from PoultrySite

AUSTRALIA – The Australian government has issued a package of measures to assist farmers who have lost crops and stock during the recent floods.

However, the government is hopeful over the prospects for the agriculture industry despite the current damage that is being suffered.

Minister for Agriculture, Senator Joe Ludwig, told a meeting of state and territory agricultural ministers and the National Farmers’ Federation this week that he remained optimistic about the prospects for the summer crop.

According to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), the outlook for the summer cropping season was generally favourable with a large area to be planted, but this was dependent on drier conditions.

“While water levels have been falling in some flood affected areas of Queensland, floodwaters are moving south affecting more regional communities,” Minister Ludwig said.

“For these communities, there is a huge clean up task ahead to re–establish homes and businesses that have been severely damaged.

“Today, I met with agriculture ministers from around the country and the President of the National Farmers’ Federation, Jock Laurie, to discuss flooding issues and the rebuilding process.

“It will be some time before we know the full impact of the floods to the rural sector.

“We know that some farmers have lost crops and stock and that many communities are doing it tough.

“In other parts of the country, producers not directly affected by the flooding will generally benefit from improved soil moisture and water availability.”

The Federal Government’s range of assistance measures to support farmers and primary producers in need, include:

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

$1,000 per eligible adult, $400 per eligible child (available across all 49 Local Government Areas declared natural disaster zones). This payment is designed to assist people who were forced to leave their homes, have lost their homes or whose homes have sustained major damage as a result of the floods.

Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements

Personal Hardship and Distress Assistance (available across 11 LGAs including Central Highlands, Southern Downs, Western Downs, Lockyer Valley, Banana, Barcaldine, North Burnett, Mackay, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Toowoomba).

Emergency Assistance Grants

A grant of $170 per person, up to a maximum of $780 for a family of five or more is available. This grant is available to people experiencing hardship due to the disaster who require assistance to meet their basic needs.

Essential Household Contents Grants

Assistance of up to $1,660 for individuals and $4,980 for families.

Repairs to Dwelling Grants

Assistance of up to $10,250 for individuals and $13,800 for families can be provided.

Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy

Fortnightly payment of up to the maximum rate of existing Newstart Allowance for a period of 13 weeks. The subsidy will be available to those who have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the flooding and are not currently receiving, or eligible for, any other income support payment.

Available assistance for businesses and primary producers includes:

Grants of up to $25,000 for small businesses and primary producers for clean up and recovery

Available now across 15 LGAs and one partial LGA: Banana, Barcaldine, Bundaberg, Somerset, Central Highlands, Cherbourg, Lockyer Valley, North Burnett, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Toowoomba, Western Downs and Woorabinda and the defined portion of Isaac. 

Concessional interest rate loans of up to $250,000 for small business operators and primary producers, as well as freight subsidies of up to $5,000

Available across 23 LGAs: Balonne, Banana, Barcaldine, Blackall—Tambo, Bundaberg, Central Highlands, Cherbourg, Gladstone, Goondiwindi, Isaac, Lockyer Valley, Longreach, Maranoa, Murweh, North Burnett, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Toowoomba, Woorabinda and Western Downs.

Queensland primary producers and businesses who have been impacted by the floods can check eligibility and lodge a claim for assistance by calling the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority on 1800 623 946.

Meanwhile, Australian Pork has also issued special advice and flood warnings to producers with information and contacts for producers seeking assistance and flood relief.

Information from PoultrySite

USGC sees potential in India

“India’s middle class of 100 million that is growing in size and income depicts a huge future demand for meat, milk and eggs,” said Erick Erickson, USGC special assistant for planning, evaluation and projects.  The U.S. Grains Council’s latest look at India illustrates both the long-term export potential and the constraints on grain sales. Mr Erickson said that India’s private broiler industry and commercial dairy industry are growing by 12-13% annually. India’s agriculture and food systems are responding in significant ways to the country’s economic growth – and over time that may offer opportunities to trade partners.

Information from Agribiz