Singapore suspends poultry imports from Netherlands

Singapore on Saturday announced the suspension of poultry imports from the Netherlands after the bird flu virus was detected in the country.
"We have received a report that there is a positive diagnosis of avian influenza in the Netherlands," Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a statement.
"To prevent the disease from entering Singapore, AVA is taking precautionary measures to temporarily suspend the imports of all poultry and birds from the Netherlands with immediate effect," it added, stressing that Singapore was still free from bird flu unlike other Asian countries.
Singapore imported 447 tonnes of chicken meat from the Netherlands valued at 850,550 Singapore dollars (500,000 US) in 2003, constituting just 0.26 percent of total consumption.
The city-state, which imports most of its food, earlier suspended poultry imports from affected Asian countries as well as Canada and the United States to prevent the bird flu virus from reaching the local market, where there is a tiny poultry industry.