Ban on poultry imports from K’taka lifted.

Panaji: The much-awaited order to lift the ban on poultry supply from Karnataka was recently issued by the office of the collector and district magistrate, South Goa. Copies of the same were circulated among poultry stakeholders on Monday.

"The director of animal husbandry and veterinary services has reported that the joint commissioner, animal husbandry, WRDDL, Pune, has permitted the commencement of movement of poultry and poultry products from Karnataka to Goa," the letter read.

After the Western Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WRDDL) in Aundh tested samples of bird flu outbreak in Bidar in January this year, reports were sent to Goa's directorate of animal husbandry and veterinary services. The state's two district collectors, who were subsequently alerted about the finding, had issued orders in July to impose a two-month-long ban on the supply of broilers and chicken from Karnataka.

Earlier this month, members of the All-Goa Poultry Traders' Association submitted a memorandum to the South Goa collectorate and the department of animal husbandry and veterinary services, Panaji, requesting that the ban be lifted.

Relieved by Monday's order, president of the All Goa Poultry Traders' Association, Jai Krishna Naik, said, "We are happy that the ordeal is over. The past few weeks were tough for us and business had become difficult."

He added that the Goa-Karnataka borders have been opened up for chicken import and poultry products have been arriving into the state smoothly.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com