African poultry group imports Dutch breeders

Government banned importation of all poultry products including dressed chickens, table eggs and breeding stock mainly due to the bird flu scare.

According to the reports, one firm has allegedly been breaking the import ban by importing day old chick breeding stock However, the Poultry Industry Association of Malawi (Piam), an umbrella organisation for poultry stakeholders in the country, said that the legal importation of breeding stock poses no harm to the public amid the poultry import ban to check bird flu.

“The breeding stock was imported from the Netherlands and was certified to be free of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) by that country’s veterinary authorities,” said Eric Chuma, Piam technical advisor. “Furthermore, the health certificate which accompanied the breeding stock clearly states that the Netherlands has been free of Bird Flu for at least the last twelve months prior to shipment.”

Director of animal health, Wilfred Lipita, said the government had not necessarily placed a ban on the importation of breeding stock, but had only put in place tough measures for their importation. Additionally, Charles Stewart Day Old Chicks, the firm in question, is one of only two producers authorised to import breeding stock and fertilised hatching eggs.