In order to maintain a steady supply of chicken and eggs, the Sri Lankan Government has partially lifted the ban on poultry imports, a government official has announced.
In a reversal of Sri Lanka’s blanket ban on all poultry, which came into effect in October amid fears of the spread of bird flu, farmers will be permitted to import one-day-old chicks from countries that have not had any reported incidents of bird flu in order to maintain routine production cycles and ensure adequate supply to local markets.
Imports of whole adult chickens and chicken parts are still prohibited.
“The ban on imports of day-old parent chicks has been lifted from this year, from countries free of bird flu like India, France and Britain,” said D. D. Wanasinghe, chairman of the All Island Poultry Association.
