However, a ban on similar products from the US remains in effect to avoid an outbreak of bird flu, reports Arab Times, citing Al-Rai daily.

Chairperson of the committee, Mohammed Ghazai Otaibi, stressed that the ban on the import of live birds from France will stay until the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) releases a report in that regard. He noted the quarterly import of meat from Bangladesh has also been suspended to prevent foot and mouth disease.

He explained the committee is active and plans on recommending to retain the ban on import of birds from the GCC countries until Public Authority for Industry (PAI) and the relevant authority monitoring procedures adopted by the GCC Food Safety Forum give the green light.

In the meantime, two delegations from the embassies of US and France presented conditions and suggestions in that regard, and the committee is waiting for a report from PAAAFR to lift ban on import of birds and meat from the state of Minnesota in the US.