AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN'S BAN ON IMPORTED LIVE

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000620 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR SCA/CEN ANKARA FOR AGRICULTURE COUNSELOR JAMES HIGGISTON TASHKENT FOR ESTH (PUTNAM) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ETRD PGOV KFLU TX SUBJECT: AVIAN FLU: TURKMENISTAN'S BAN ON IMPORTED LIVE POULTRY PRODUCTS HURTS LOCAL BUSINESSES REFTEL: A) ASHGABAT 528 AND PREVIOUS B) 05 STATE 153802 Sensitive But Unclassified; Not for Internet Distribution. SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH) IMPOSED AN IMPORT BAN ON LIVE BIRDS AND EGGS ON JANUARY 22. THE BAN DAMAGED LOCAL POULTRY BUSINESSES, WHICH PREVIOUSLY IMPORTED EGGS AND CHICKENS FROM IRAN AND TURKEY. A STATE VETERINARY SERVICE OFFICIAL TOLD POL/ECON ASST THAT THE GOTX PLANS TO LIFT THE BAN JULY 1. END SUMMARY. LIVE POULTRY PRODUCTS BAN TO BE LIFTED -------------- ¶2. (SBU) DURING A JUNE 6 CONVERSATION WITH POL/ECON ASST, STATE VETERINARY SERVICE DEPUTY DIRECTOR HUDAYBERDY MUHAMMEDOV SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT'S DIRECTIVE, THE MOH PLANS TO LIFT THE GOTX'S JANUARY 22 IMPORT BAN ON LIVE BIRDS AND EGGS ON JULY 1. ¶3. (SBU) THE BAN HAS DESTROYED LOCAL POULTRY BUSINESSES, WHICH HAD BEEN IMPORTING 24-HOUR OLD CHICKENS FOR LOCAL BROILER MEAT PRODUCTION AND EGGS FOR LOCAL INCUBATORS TO PRODUCE EGG-LAYERS. OWNER OF ALTYN HILAL BROILER MEAT PRODUCING FIRM AHMED CHARIYEV, THE ONLY PRIVATE PRODUCER OF CHICKEN MEAT IN TURKMENISTAN, SAID ON JUNE 6 THAT IN FEBRUARY HE LAID OFF ALL OF HIS 35-MEMBER STAFF AND CLOSED HIS BUSINESS. THE FIRM PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED 30 TONS OF MEAT PER MONTH AND SERVED 10% OF THE ASHGABAT MARKET. (NOTE: IMPORTED U.S. CHICKEN QUARTERS REPRESENTED 70% OF THE LOCAL MARKET AND FRENCH OR BRAZILIAN WHOLE CHICKENS REPRESENTED 20% OF THE LOCAL MARKET. END NOTE.) CHARIYEV SAID THAT ON MAY 15 LOCAL POULTRY PRODUCERS APPROACHED THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WITH THE REQUEST TO LIFT THE BAN. TWO LOCAL EGG PRODUCING FIRMS AKSA AND OMAR OSMAN, SLAUGHTERED THEIR BIRDS LAST FALL BECAUSE OF AI RISK AND PLANNED TO BRING EGGS FROM IRAN TO RENEW THEIR FLOCKS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE BAN THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DO SO AND CLOSED THEIR BUSINESSES SOON AFTER THE BAN WAS IMPOSED. ¶4. (SBU) A LOCAL HEALTH SPECIALIST SAID POPULAR OPINION IS THAT THE WHO EXPERTS RECOMMENDED THE IMPORT BAN. IN MUHAMMEDOV'S OPINION THE MOH ACTION WAS EXCESSIVE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER SEASON, WHEN THE RISK OF AI IS REDUCED. MUHAMMEDOV ADDED THAT THE MOH CONTINUED TO IMPOSE THE BAN TO JUSTIFY THE MOH REQUEST TO THE WORLD BANK FOR AI PREPAREDNESS ASSISTANCE MONEY (REFTEL A). HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO A USAID TURKMENISTAN HEALTH PROJECT SPECIALIST, AS OF JUNE 7 THE WORLD BANK HAS NOT MADE ANY COMMITMENTS TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) THE GOTX'S KNEE-JERK REACTION TO BAN IMPORTED POULTRY PRODUCTS IS AN ANTICIPATED RESPONSE. THE GOTX'S REPEATED FAILURE TO PLAN ADEQUATELY EITHER TO PREVENT OR COMBAT AN AI OUTBREAK LEAVES OFFICIALS WITH FEW CHOICES BEYOND IRRATIONAL ATTEMPTS SIMPLY TO WILL AI AWAY. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT IF THE BAN WILL BE LIFTED ON JULY 1. A RISE IN MEAT PRODUCT PRICES IN THE BAZAARS WOULD ENCOURAGE A RATIONAL GOTX RESPONSE TO RE-OPEN ITS BORDERS TO POULTRY PRODUCTS FROM ABROAD. END COMMENT. BRUSH