Doha: Qatar yesterday banned the import of live birds, poultry and related products including eggs from India, Pakistan and Egypt where incidences of avian influenza or bird flu were reported, a senior official at the National Health Authority, disclosed yesterday.
The ban was expected to hit hard restaurants, bakeries and other commercial establishments that buy large quantities of Indian made eggs that are between 30 and 50 per cent cheaper than GCC made varieties.
Dr Ibrahim Al Shaath, Director, Preventive Medicine, National Health Authority told The Peninsula, the decision to ban the import of live birds, chicken and poultry products from these countries was taken at a meeting of the epidemic control committee on Monday. Yesterday, the Customs and Ports General Authority was informed about the ban to ensure its enforcement at all air, sea and land entry points into Qatar, he added.
Dr Ibrahim said, the bulk of poultry and poultry products excluding eggs that are imported into Qatar are from France and Brazil and products from these two countries are as yet, allowed to be imported.
Some countries had yesterday banned imports of chicken and poultry products from France amid scattered reports of bird flu epidemic in that European state.
While Qatar does not import poultry products from Egypt and Pakistan, other birds such as falcons, popular among wealthy Qatari nationals, are brought in from the two countries.
Mohammad H Zainal Abideen, General Manager, LuLu Hypermarket said, his chain of stores had not been informed of the ban by any concerned authority till yesterday evening. "Normally we learn of these things through the local media," he added.
He said, Indian produced eggs were the topmost sellers in that category of food items since they are priced at least 50 per cent cheaper. "At our store, a tray of 30 Indian eggs costs QR5.50 as compared to QR10.50 for those from Saudi Arabia or Qatar," he added.
He however declined to speculate whether the prices of Saudi Arabia and Qatar made eggs would skyrocket in the local retail market in the absence of their Indian competitors.
Syrian eggs are priced slightly lower, at around QR8.50 per tray while those from Kuwait command QR9.50 per tray, it was learnt.
Dr Ibrahim, meanwhile, said, checks in Qatar had revealed the local poultry was free from the dreaded H5N1 virus that causes the bird flu and hence, it was safe to consume fresh chicken and eggs produced locally. Qatar, he emphasized, was free from the H5N1 virus and any of its deadly strains.
© The Peninsula 2006
