Poland faces poultry export ban over avian influenza
Poultry exports from specific regions of Poland will be halted beginning April 23. The European Commission is considering a potential ban on the import of Polish poultry due to concerns over avian influenza. Since the beginning of the year, the disease has been detected in 78 locations across the country (as of April 11). While a nationwide embargo was initially considered, discussions have since shifted toward restricting imports from western Poland and parts of Mazovia (in central Poland), which together account for up to 40% of the country’s poultry production.
Negotiations between the Polish Ministry of Agriculture and the European Commission are ongoing. Poland is a leading poultry producer in Europe; last year, the country produced 3.5 million tons of poultry meat, of which 2 million tons were exported.