Russia Imposes Wide Meat Import Ban on Flu Risk

RUSSIA - Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, Rosselkhoznadzor, has banned pork imports from a number of Latin American countries, and all meat imports from the Mexico and three US states.
calendar icon 28 April 2009
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Federal Agency for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) has banned pork imports from Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and Salvador, according to Meat Russia.

Furthermore, it has imposed restrictions on supply of meat and meat products from any animals from Mexico and three US states, the Agency's press release reports.

Mexican authorities officially confirmed the death of 20 people from swine flu H1N1, and the reason for other 48 fatal cases has not been established yet. About one thousand people have already caught the disease, and WHO and scientists do not exclude a potential pandemic. Russian authorities have created a governmental commission for prevention of virus infiltration to Russia.

"Basing on the risk analysis, Rosselkhoznadzor has decided to ban imports of meat products, raw meat from any animals which were not heat treated and were shipped from Mexico and US states of California, Kansas and Texas to Russia after 21 April 2009 until further notice," says the Rosselkhoznadzor report.

"The imports of meat and meat products from any animals, including commodities which were not heat treated and are carried in hand luggage of passengers, or served in flight or voyage catering on planes or vessels going from Mexico and the US states of Texas, California and Kansas (including transit) have been banned from 26 April 2009 until further notice.

"The supply of pork and pork products, which were not heat treated and were shipped from Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and Salvador, as well as from US Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida after 21 April 2009 have been restricted as well," says the Meat Russia report, citing Rosselkhoznadzor.

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