The Hindu Business Line : TN may get disease-free status

The Union Government will explore scope for de-zoning the poultry rearing States that remains free from avian flu and may declare them as `disease-free' zone.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the Union Ministry of Agriculture in a communication to the poultry industry in Tamil Nadu has assured that it has taken steps towards this.

The department has also agreed with the representations made by the poultry industry that a declaration of zonal or compartmental freedom from notifiable avian influenza is possible under international trade guidelines for regions that are free from epidemic.

Mr S.K. Bandhyopadhyay, Commissioner of Animal Husbandry, has said the sero-surveillance of poultry birds in Tamil Nadu had indicated negative to bird flu virus at the screening done at the high security animal diseases laboratory at Bhopal this month.

The assurances were made following a meeting the All-India Poultry Products Exporters Association from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu had with the department officials early this week when the latter urged the Centre to expeditiously declare "disease-free" status for Tamil Nadu poultry citing the provisions of the International Animal Health Code.

An official declaration on a disease-free status for the southern poultry industry will enable it to recover at least 60 per cent of the market over the next three months, the association members had stated.

More Stories on : Poultry | Health | Tamil Nadu

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