UAE Ministry bans chicken imports from Bulgaria

Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment on Tuesday announced a ban on the importation of all kinds of birds, chicks, hatching eggs and their non-heated products from Bulgaria.

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The ban also applies to the import of poultry meat and non-heat treated products and eggs from the affected country.

According to international reports, an outbreak of the bird flu virus infected a farm in the southern city of Plovdiv. 

"A three-km protection zone and a 10 km observation area around the livestock area were set up," said the national food safety agency in a statement to Reuters.

The ministry of environment is continuously focused on raising the level of food safety in the country, as well as ensuring the provision of safe food to consumers.

In cases of contamination in farms abroad, the ministry implements Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on the safety of food, which applies to all establishments licensed to trade food or feed, and consignments coming to the country or passing through its territory.

The law applies in all stages of the food chain from primary production through processing until it reaches to the consumer.

The ministry is also responsible for standardising and supervising food safety procedures in cooperation with concerned local food authorities.