Port Moresby residents have been advised to keep an eye out for frozen whole birds in blue and red packaging.
These illegal items, believed to be from Malaysia, pose a significant disease threat to PNG’s poultry industry.
The Poultry Industry Association (PIA) of PNG raised the concern after discovering the uncooked, frozen poultry products in a Port Moresby shop last Monday.
“We believe there are other illegal imported products from South East Asia and we are actively looking for them as well,” PIA president, Chris Prestwood, told Loop PNG.
“We are working closely with NAQIA (National Agriculture Quarantine & Inspection Authority) to find how these products have come into PNG.”
The association is calling on the general public to help assist in the identification of where they are and report back.
“Please note, this is a significant disease threat and time is critical to ensure the products are found, confiscated and destroyed to ensure the continuing clean health status of all PNG poultry and wildlife,” stressed Prestwood.
At this stage, the PIA and NAQIA are working to contain the issue in Port Moresby only.
PNG has a clearly defined policy on how poultry products come into the country, as per Government gazette G43, which came into effect on Feb 2 last year.
“Any uncooked poultry products coming into the country have to come from a country with a similar biosecurity standard as New Zealand,” said the president.
Follow this link to contact NAQIA: http://www.naqia.gov.pg/Contact%20us/Contact%20us.html
(Picture supplied)