Two months after Kuwait lifted its ban on Indian poultry products, Hong Kong has now re-opened its market for egg and other poultry products from India. The ban had been in place ever since an outbreak of avian influenza hit India in 2012.

Usually, the ban is lifted only three months after the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) declares a country free from bird flu.

HongKong’s industry

The Directorate of Food of Hong Konghas allowed import of eggs, egg powder, liquid and egg yolk from India, but with strict quality conditions in place, according to the website of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).

With the lifting of the ban, the ₹80,000-crore domestic poultry industry expects to get a pie in the HongKong’s $2-billion market. Corporates with risk mitigation facilities can make use of this opportunity, said industry sources.

Miniscule trade

But, a section of trade seems unaffected by this lifting of the ban. OP Singh, core committee member of the advisory body Poultry India, told BusinessLine that the lifting of the ban by HongKong does not make a big difference as the exports to the country are very negligible. “West Asian nations are our bigger consumers, while the HK market is dominated by its neighbouring Thai and Chinese suppliers.”

According to Apeda’s provisional estimates, the exports of poultry products stood at ₹460 crore during April-October 2015-16, a growth of 26.36 per cent over corresponding period last year’s ₹364 crore.

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