Russia, the United States’ largest poultry export market, said it was considering a US-wide ban on imports as well but decided Tuesday just to block poultry imports from Texas. The Philippines said it too was considering a boycott.
Both countries had previously banned poultry from the state of Delaware, which had earlier reported an outbreak of a lesser strain of avian flu.
The majority of the EU’s imports come from eastern seaboard states, not from Texas, officials said. Further claiming that the current ban would be reviewed by the EU’s veterinary experts before March 23, when it expires.
There was no known connection between the outbreaks in Asia and the one in Texas, US officials said.
The EU has banned the import of all poultry products from Thailand and Vietnam, the two Asian countries hardest hit by the bird flu outbreak.
