U.S. poultry exports to central Asia are in jeopardy

Russia mulls banning US poultry transit through its territory, citing concerns over highly pathogenic avian influenza. The move would hurt the US broiler meat export to central Asia. The Russian veterinary watchdog Rosselhoznadzor is considering prohibiting the transit of US poultry through the country, Russian state news outlet Ria Novosti has reported, citing a source close to the matter. The measure is justified with a need to protect Russia and Kazakhstan from bird flu, as the Russian officials see the veterinary situation in the US as “unstable”. In 2015, Russia suspended the transit of US poultry for several months. The source has not specified the timeframe for new restrictions, only emphasising that Russian veterinary officials consider the dynamics of the spread of bird flu in the world troublesome. The Russian transit ban could undermine US poultry exports to central Asia. In Kazakhstan, where US imports historically played an important role, poultry farmers have backed ...