Mexico to Lift Ban on Some Poultry

Mexico’s Agriculture Department plans to lift restrictions Monday on poultry imports from four U.S. states, though not California.

The decision reopens the door for imports of live birds and poultry products and side-products from North Carolina, Maine, Virginia and West Virginia -- where avian flu had been detected -- the Agriculture Department announced Sunday.

Restrictions will remain in place on poultry imports from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas, the department said in a statement.

The outbreak of avian influenza in Gonzales County, Texas, in February triggered an embargo against U.S. poultry products by Mexico.

On Feb. 24, Mexico’s Agriculture Department announced a ban on imports of live birds, eggs and poultry products from throughout the United States -- with the exception of some cooked products.

The embargo later was relaxed. Mexico is rolling back restrictions to those in place before Feb. 24 -- except for the six states, the Agriculture Department announced. Officials from the department could not immediately be reached for comment.

The United States exported about $141 million in turkey and $104 million in chicken to Mexico last year, according to the U.S.A. Poultry & Egg Export Council, a trade group based in Stone Mountain, Ga.

The Texas Animal Health Commission announced April 1 that the outbreak of avian influenza in Gonzales County was officially over.

But Mexican authorities continued Sunday to note that the Gonzales County outbreak was a “highly contagious” strain of avian influenza, while maintaining restrictions on Texas imports.

The avian viruses discovered in the United States are not a threat to humans.

The prohibition of poultry imports from British Columbia, Canada, remains in effect.