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Singapore does not import chicken and eggs from Kelantan: AVA

SINGAPORE — Poultry and poultry products that Singapore imports from Malaysia are safe for consumption, the authorities here assured the public, following news of a bird flu outbreak in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. Existing measures will be stepped up to prevent the H5N1 virus from entering Singapore, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said on Thursday (March 9).

An AVA inspector inspections imported live poultry upon the shipments arrival at Tuas checkpoint. Photo: AVA

An AVA inspector inspections imported live poultry upon the shipments arrival at Tuas checkpoint. Photo: AVA

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SINGAPORE — Poultry and poultry products that Singapore imports from Malaysia are safe for consumption, the authorities here assured the public, following news of a bird flu outbreak in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. Existing measures will be stepped up to prevent the H5N1 virus from entering Singapore, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said on Thursday (March 9).

Poultry and eggs from Kelantan are not an approved source here, said the AVA, and Singapore allows import of poultry and eggs only from disease-free zones found in five Malaysian states, namely Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor and Perak. 

Singapore imports about 35 per cent of chicken and 93 per cent of ducks from Malaysia. Other sources include Brazil and the United States. For eggs, 76 per cent of the supply comes from Malaysia, while farms here provide the rest. Last year, the Republic imported 48.8 million chickens in all.

The AVA added that it will work closely with Malaysia’s Department of Veterinary Services to ensure that its imported poultry and eggs do not compromise public health.

Existing measures will also be stepped up, including deploying more officers — from two to three — to conduct checks on poultry imports entering through the Tuas Checkpoint. The AVA will also conduct daily checks on all 14 poultry slaughterhouses here. 

Every consignment of imported live poultry is accompanied by an import permit and a veterinary health certificate from Malaysian authorities, which includes details like the farm name, farm code and quantity of poultry. Consignments are imported in crates and each crate is labelled with the farm name, farm code and date of export.

"At the point of import, AVA inspectors will verify that the consignment is from an approved farm. Consignments are also inspected to ensure animal health is safeguarded," the AVA said in response to queries. 

Poultry farms in Singapore have been advised to disallow non-essential visits from the public, as well as to ensure that their bird-proofing measures are in place to keep out wild birds. 

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