Iraq lifts ban on Iran chicken imports

Iraq has removed an earlier imposed ban on chicken imports from neighboring Iran after Tehran made assurances that it has contained avian flu in chicken flocks across the country.

Iraqi agriculture authorities had imposed the ban back in July following detection of avian flu in chicken flocks in Iran.

Earlier in mid June, outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu was reported in a village in northern Iran.

This prompted Iraqi authorities to ban shipments of breeding stock, including live chicks and hatching eggs, as well as frozen and fresh chicken from Iran.

The ban was removed after Iran’s Veterinary Organization delivered a report to the World Veterinary Association, confirming that the virulent avian flu virus was under control.