Singapore adjusts import restrictions on poultry products from areas affected by bird flu in Japan

On 28 December 2022, the Food Authority of Singapore (SFA) announced changes to import restrictions on poultry and products from areas near the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Japan.

Due to an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, temporary restrictions will be imposed on the import of poultry and its products from 22 December 2022. Poultry products that meet the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) avian influenza virus inactivation requirements for heat treatment will not be affected by import restrictions.

It is learnt that on 7 November 2022 and 23 November 2022, Singapore imposed temporary import restrictions on poultry and its products from areas affected by the H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in Hokkaido and Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.

Now that the outbreak in the region has been resolved, the Food Authority of Singapore said the above import restrictions were lifted.

To facilitate clearance of other poultry and poultry products, the veterinary health certificate accompanying the import of poultry and poultry products should also include the following additional evidence:

a. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and H5 and H7 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) are notifiable diseases in exporting countries.

b. As defined by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), poultry of meat origin have not been vaccinated against the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza.

c. Poultry meat and meat products are not poultry originating from Okayama, Kagawa, Ibaraki, Kagoshima, Niigata, Miyazaki, Aomori, Miyagi, Fukushima, Wakayama, Tottori, Aichi, Saga, Yamagata, Hiroshima, Okinawa, Saitama, Fukuoka and Nagasaki prefectures in Japan.

d. Poultry of meat origin were born, raised and slaughtered in Japan or were legally imported from a country with equivalent poultry health status as day-old chicks.