Japan's Poultry

Outbreaks of avian influenza dramatically changed Japan’s trade patterns in 2004. Japan sharply curtailed poultry imports from China and Thailand due to outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Several cases of low path avian influenza in the U.S. interrupted poultry shipments to Japan. The U.S. found HPAI in a small flock, a different type than was found in Asia, and Japan placed restrictions on the affected state.

Poultry imports from China were halted after HPAI was confirmed in China. Japan's Chinese imports fell from 6,786 MT in January to 935 MT in February to zero for March and April. For the first 10 months in 2004, imports of frozen broilers totaled 8,375 MT compared to 51,274 for the same period in 2003. There were no imports of fresh or chilled broilers from China for February through October 2004.

Japan imported 12,190 MT of frozen broilers from Thailand in January 2004, before Thailand confirmed outbreaks of HPAI. For the next nine months, only 59 metric tons more were imported, totaling 12,249 MT for January through October 2004. Broiler imports from Thailand reached 146,467 MT for January through October 2003.

January through October 2004 broiler imports from the U.S. fell to 19,886 MT compared to 42,699 MT for the same period in 2003. Imports declined sharply in February and again for April through July, recovering in August. Japan reacted to the presence of low path avian influenza in the U.S. by immediately halting imports, only to resume most imports once the strain of avian influenza was confirmed to be low path.

Brazil was the major beneficiary of Japan’s bans on poultry imports from China, Thailand and the U.S. Japan’s poultry imports from Brazil grew from 152,580 MT for the first ten months in 2003, to 232,419 MT for the same period in 2004.
Source: ALIC, OIE, news wires

China

China is recovering from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in January 2004. China quickly culled over 9 million birds to contain the disease and on March 19, 2004 announced no new outbreaks had been reported in 32 days. In early July, China reported a single case of HPAI on a relatively isolated farm in Anhui province. China cleared the area through vaccination, culling and surveillance. According to the China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), poultry production in the first quarter fell four percent. Total poultry production for the first half of 2004 recovered to a net decline of one percent. For 2005, China’s poultry production is forecast to recover to 9.9 MMT, about the same as pre-avian influenza 2003 level.

Imports are estimated to fall 55 percent in 2004 due to decreased U.S. imports. China banned U.S. poultry imports in February 2004, due to avian influenza in the U.S. and increased imports from Brazil and Argentina.

China’s broiler meat exports are recovering. Japan, China’s largest export market, reopened its cooked broiler market to China. Hong Kong, China’s second largest export market, fully reopened for all kinds of broiler products.

The challenge is to prevent HPAI from reoccurring in China. Viet Nam and Thailand both reported outbreaks in January 2005. Chinese authorities established an 18 mile wide “immune protection zone” along the 746 mile border between Yunnan Province and Viet Nam. Stations were set up to inspect and disinfect all vehicles and people passing through the area.

This year the Chinese New Year falls on February 9, with New Year’s Eve celebrations on February 8. Also called the Spring Festival, this is the largest holiday in Chinese culture and chicken is served at most meals. Movement of poultry and poultry products will increase. The travel season begins on January 27 and runs for 40 days. Tens of millions of Chinese travel to their hometowns. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese migrant workers travel from the large cities to their rural homes for the holiday.

Hong Kong normally allows 30,000 live birds to be imported daily from the mainland. Import quotas for January 30 through February 4 were relaxed to allow 50,000 birds daily and the quota will be lifted February 5 through February 7 to allow consumers to stock up before the three day holiday that begins on February 8.
Source: OIE, USDA/FAS, FAOAIDEnews, news wires

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Source: USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service - 1st February 2005