Namibia has officially lifted its ban on live poultry and bird imports from South Africa following the end of an avian flu outbreak in the neighbouring country, the Ministry of Agriculture has announced.
The ban, which was implemented in September 2023, was a response to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in South Africa.
Namibia, which consumes approximately 2,500 metric tonnes of chicken each month, heavily depends on imports, particularly from South Africa, to meet its poultry needs.
The lifting of the ban is anticipated to restore the flow of supplies and stabilize market prices.
In a related announcement, the agriculture ministry said it has suspended imports of live birds and uncooked poultry products from Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state due to an outbreak of Newcastle disease.
The ministry clarified that any consignments containing poultry products from the Brazilian region, packed on or after June 18, would be either returned to the sender or destroyed at the importer’s expense.
JN/APA