'flu-free' Thailand Seeks To Resume Chicken Exports

[george]

'Flu-free' Thailand seeks to resume chicken exports

BANGKOK: -- Thailand intends to inform Japan soon that the country is official free of bird flu, and to appeal to Tokyo to resume imports of Thai processed chicken.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Somsak Prissananantakul said he would would make request to the Japanese minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries at a four-day Thai Fruits and Food Festa, starting Friday in Tokyo.

Thailand was declared free of avian influenza for three months on April 25, the official test for danger from the H5N1 disease.

He said his ministry's Livestock Development Department had already informed the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) that Thailand was now free of bird flu.

Under OIE regulations, a country is considered safe from the potentially lethal avian influenza if the disease is not detected for three months after infected areas have last been sprayed.

Thai processed chicken was ranked second in terms of export value to Japan as its average export growth was higher than 10 per cent in 2007.

Mr Somsak said he would also ask the Japanese minister about a progress on considering in issuing certificate on the international organised fowls compartment system in regard to Thailand.

Thailand has now established nine such compartments, Mr Somsak said, and all have been certified for their quality standards.

Thailand's Livestock Development Department should be empowered by the Japanese authorities to inspect the compartments, Mr. Somsak said.

--TNA 2008-06-09