Sikkim lifts ban on import of poultry

Gangtok, May 18 (UNI) The Sikkim government has lifted the ban on import of poultry products from May 15 after the samples of poultry from Siliguri tested negative of Avian Influenza.

Official sources today said the government had banned the import of poultry on May 12 following the death of more than 2000 chickens at a farm in Matigara of West Bengal's Siliguri district.

''We have lifted the ban after the poultry samples tested negative of Bird flu,'' state animal husbandry additional director S T Bhutia said adding that only dressed chickens would not be allowed.

The state largely depends on the poultry farms from Siliguri to cater the needs of the local populations and the recent ban had hit the business badly with the local poultry unable to meet the demands.

UNI