Oman lifts import ban on Indian poultry products

The Omani authorities have lifted a blanket ban on import of live bird products from India following the outbreak of avian flue in some parts of the North Eastern region of the country last year.

The Omani ministry of agriculture issued a ministerial decree (No168/2008) lifting the ban on import of live bird products from India after the Indian authorities impressed on them that prompt action was taken to contain the spread of avian flu, which was confined to certain pockets in the North East, an India government release said.

The ministry of agriculture of the Sultanate of Oman had imposed a ban on import live bird products from India following an outbreak of avian flu in certain parts of India in 2008.

The Government of India took up the matter with Omani authorities through diplomatic channel and impressed on them that the avian flu was limited to select pockets of the North East of the country and that a blanket ban on import of live bird products from entire India was unjustified. It was also impressed on the Omani authorities that the affected birds were culled and isolated to prevent further spread of avian flu.