New US$67,000 vet lab to enable poultry exports

GUYANA - A veterinary diagnostic laboratory costing over US$67,000, to be officially opened next month, will test for bird flu and other poultry diseases, making way for poultry exports.

At the boardroom of the Agriculture Ministry yesterday, the donor community, the private sector and government officials who had collaborated to make the laboratory possible held a press briefing.

The laboratory which is located in the compound of the Ministry of Agriculture, has already tested 900 samples from 12 different farms for Avian Influenza or bird flu during a test of the facility.

The testing was done with the commercial flock, that is edible poultry and eggs, and all proved to be free from bird flu. Wildlife samples were to be tested yesterday.

Patrick DeGroot, president of the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA), in giving a history of the facility said that in early 2003 they completed phase one of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)-funded project, Caribbean Programme for Economic Competitive-ness (CPEC), to improve the local poultry industry. This led the way for additional funding for phase two.

"One of the deliverables was the setting up of a small laboratory to test for the major poultry diseases," said DeGroot.

CPEC allocated US$27,000 for the purchase of an Elisa Reader, test kits for the list A poultry diseases and various laboratory supplies.

Source: Stabroek