NFU raises fears over French poultry

UK - France is flooding the British market with poultry meat following a slump in domestic sales over fears of avian flu, say farmers.

Poultry sales in France, where a flock of turkey has been infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of the virus, have fallen by 30 per cent prompting farmers to export their meat to the UK, the NFU conference in Birmingham was told.

Shropshire poultry farmer David Mills urged the Government's chief scientist Professor Sir David King and the Food Standards Agency to reassure consumers by confirming that poultry meat and eggs were safe to eat.

He said: "The Government has not come out and categorically said it is 100 per cent safe and the public and the press have picked up on this issue. We are getting very concerned."

Dame Deirdre Hutton, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, replied: "Avian flu does not present a risk to consumers provided the meat is properly cooked. I don't believe we are faced with a consumer problem except one that is only perception."

Source: icBirmingham
calendar icon 3 March 2006
clock icon 1 minute read
© 2000 - 2024 - Global Ag Media. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.