China bans slew of livestock imports over disease fears

Outbreaks of livestock diseases have prompted China to ban sheep, goat and poultry imports from a host of African, Asian and European countries.

China has prohibited imports of sheep, goat, poultry and even-toed ungulates from African, Asian and European countries due to outbreaks of livestock diseases such as sheep pox, goat pox and foot-and-mouth-disease.

The ban, which also includes processed and unprocessed products, comes after the World Health Organization released information on  disease outbreaks in various countries, according to a series of announcements by China's General Administration of Customs dated January 21.

The ban from the world's-largest meat importer affects Ghana, Somalia, Qatar, Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Tanzania, Egypt, Bulgaria, East Timor and Eritrea.

China also said it had stopped imports of sheep, goat and related products from Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bangladesh due to sheep pox and goat pox outbreaks.

It also blocked imports of even-toed ungulates and related products from Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, it said.