Nimroz rejects above 78 tons of imported chicken meat

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Local officials on Tuesday said more than 78,000 kilograms of chicken meat imported from China and France to southeastern Nimroz province had been rejected and turned to the two countries.

Mohammad Akbar Sharifi, provincial agriculture and livestock director, told Pajhwok Afghan News that two containers of frozen chicken meat produced in France and three containers from China entered Nimroz customs a week ago.

“The agriculture and livestock’s professional team tested the meat for bird flu ad suggested the meat should be returned. So the meat was sent back to the origin countries following a letter from the Nimroz customs,” he said.

He added traders were allowed to import chicken meat from Iran, Pakistan and Ukraine. “Any chicken meat imported to the country is tested before being supplied to the country’s markets,” he said.

Sharif said traders should avoid importing frozen chicken meat from countries with high bird flu risk.

Nimroz public health director Dr. Khesraw Yousufzai said he ordered his representative at the customs to prevent the chicken meat from entering Zaranj city, the provincial capital.

“Doctors always check frozen chicken, sheep and cow meat for quality and they reject it if the meat does not match health standards”, he said.

Bismillah, a resident of Zaranj city, said” “The temperature soars to 50 centigrade in Zaranj in summer, most of the shopkeepers lack proper places for protection of the frozen meat, so the meat soon loses quality.”

mds/ma