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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Belgium, April 21, 2003

Impact Worksheet

Summary:  Belgium reported on April 16, 2003 a strong suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a flock of layer and breeding hens in Meeuwen-Gruitrode.  The diagnosis of HPAI was confirmed on April 18.  Control measures include the culling of all poultry within a 3-kilometer zone around the affected farm, a ban on movement of chickens and eggs within the country, and a ban on exports of live chickens, breeding eggs, and manure.  This is the first-ever reported outbreak of HPAI in Belgium.

Belgium has about 52 million poultry, accounting for less than 1% of world stocks and production.  Exports of live chickens, eggs, and poultry meat were valued at about $610 million in 2001 and accounted for 6.7%, 7.5%, and 3.5%, respectively, of total world exports for these products.

The US imported no live poultry, poultry meat, or eggs from Belgium in 2002 or Jan-Feb 2003, but did import almost 45,000 other live birds in that time period.

How extensive is highly pathogenic avian influenza in Belgium, and what was Belgium’s disease status prior to the outbreak?

Belgium reported on April 16, 2 003 a strong suspicion of avian influenza in a flock of layer and breeding hens in Meeuwen-Gruitrode.  On April 18 the Belgian Food Chain Safety and Environment Agency confirmed the outbreak as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).  The affected farm is located in a preventive buffer zone that was established 14 days ago following suspicions of HPAI in the southern part of the Netherlands.  As of April 21, two additional cases in the same geographic area are suspected.  This is the first-ever reported outbreak of HPAI in Belgium.

The Belgian Federal Food Agency immediately began culling all birds located in a 3-kilometer (1.86 mi) zone around the affected farm.  Other control measures include a ban on movement of all live birds and eggs within the country, and a ban on exports of live chickens, breeding eggs, and manure. 

The outbreak of HPAI in the Netherlands began in early March 2003.  As of April 15, 212 outbreaks had been reported, and 13.6 million poultry on more than 800 holdings had been destroyed.  While the outbreaks have been concentrated in the province of Gelderland, outbreaks have also been confirmed in the provinces of Utrecht and Noord-Brabant.  Suspected cases have been reported in the province of Limburg.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report; AP, Apr 16, 2003; Belgian Food Chain Safety and Environment Agency, Apr 18, 2003; ProMED/Reuters UK, Apr 20, 2003.

HPAI belgium

What is Belgium’s place in the international market for poultry and poultry products?

Belgium has about 52 million poultry, accounting for 6% of EU stocks and 8% of EU production.  In terms of total world stocks and production, Belgium is a minor player, accounting for less than 1% of both stocks and production.

Table 1: Poultry Stocks and Production, Belgium-Luxembourg*, 2001 and 2002

 

2001

2002
 

Stocks or Production

Stocks or Production

% of European Union Stocks or Production

% of World Stocks or Production

  

1,000 Head

  

Chickens

52,000

52,000

5.1%

0.3%

  

Ducks

40

40

0.1%

<0.1%

  

Geese

10

10

0.6%

<0.1%

  

Turkeys

250

250

0.2%

0.1%

  

Metric Tons

  

Poultry Eggs

184,395

192,000

3.7%

0.3%

  

Poultry Meat

387,000

387,000

4.3%

0.5%

  

* FAO data for stocks and production present Belgium and Luxembourg information together.  It is not possible to separate the two but it is likely that the stocks attributable to Luxembourg are quite small.

Source:  United Nations FAO

Belgium exported live poultry, poultry meat, and eggs valued at about $610 million in 2001.  Exports of live chickens, eggs, and poultry meat accounted for 6.7%, 7.5%, and 3.5%, respectively, of total world exports for these products.

Table 2:  Exports of live poultry and poultry products, Belgium, 2001

Exports

2001

% of World in 2001

Quantity

Value

(1000 $)

Quantity

Value

Live chickens (1,000 head)

53,023

31,718

6.7%

3.9%

Poultry eggs (mt)

74,491

55,953

7.5%

5.6%

Poultry meat (mt)

332,725

522,288

3.5%

4.6%

Source: United Nations FAO

What are the US imports of poultry or poultry products from Belgium?

Belgium is not considered by the US to be free of exotic Newcastle disease.  Consequently, the

US imported no live poultry and no poultry meat or eggs from Belgium in 2002 or Jan-Feb 2003.  However, almost 45,000 other live birds were imported into the US from Belgium between Jan 2002 and Feb 2003.  California was the destination state for the majority of these imports.  

Table 3:  US imports of live birds from Belgium, 2002 and Jan-Feb 2003

Product

2002

Jan-Feb 2003

Quantity

Value (million $)

Quantity

Value (million $)

Birds, live, nesoi (0106390000)

39,500

0.481

4,288

0.058

Live psittaciformes (incl. parrots, parakeets, macaws, cockatoos) (0106320000)

1,054

0.032

0

0

Live birds of prey (0106310000)

7

0.002

0

0

Source: World Trade Atlas; VS Import Tracking System

Belgium exports a significant amount of live chickens, poultry eggs, and poultry meat (Table 2).  Because, presumably, most of these exports go to other EU countries, and because movement of animals and animal products between member countries of the EU is very open, it is possible that some of these products may be re-exported to the US from other EU countries.  Table 4 shows US imports from all EU countries during 2002.  Also listed in the table are the countries of origin for the vast majority of each imported product.  Belgium is the primary country of origin for live birds coming into the US from the EU, while France is the primary EU supplier of hatching eggs, poultry meat, and poultry livers and offal. 

Table 4: US imports from the EU, 2002

Product

2002

Quantity

Value (million $)

Primary Country of Origin

Birds, live, nesoi (0106390000 & 0106001000)

41,324

0.531

Belgium

Live psittaciformes (incl. parrots, parakeets, macaws, cockatoos) (0106320000)

1,054

0.032

Live birds of prey (0106310000)

7

0.002

Bird eggs, in shell, for hatching (0407000020)

120,775

1.644

France, UK

Meat of poultry and edible meat offal, salted, in brine, dried, or smoked, including edible flours and malts of poultry meat or offal (0210992000 and 0210902000)

180

0.003

France

Livers from ducks, geese, guinea fowl, fresh, chilled, or frozen (0207360020, 0207340000)

356,097

1.617

Livers from geese, prepared or preserved (1602202000)

20,855

0.35

Offals (not liver) from ducks, geese, guinea fowl, fresh, chilled, or frozen (0207360040, 0207350000)

36,567

0.075

Meat from ducks, geese, guineas, fresh, chilled, or frozen (0207330000, 0207320000)

600

0.019

Source: World Trade Atlas

Canadian and Mexican imports from Belgium are worth noting because of their proximity to the US.  Both countries also imported substantial numbers of live birds from Belgium in 2002.  Neither country imported any live poultry, poultry meat, or eggs from Belgium.

Table 5:  Canadian and Mexican imports of live birds from Belgium, 2002 and Jan-Feb 2003

Product

2002

Jan-Feb 2003

Quantity

Value (million $)

Quantity

Value (million $)

Canadian Imports from Belgium

Pet or song birds, live (0106390010)

7,876

0.089

840

0.008

Live psittaciformes (incl. parrots, parakeets, macaws, cockatoos) (0106320000)

579

0.005

0

0

Live birds, nesoi (0106310000)

114

0.019

42

0.010

Mexican imports from Belgium

Birds, live, nesoi (01063902 & 01063999)

873

0.016

0

0

Source: World Trade Atlas

What is the level of passenger traffic arriving in the United States from Belgium?

In fiscal 2000, a total of 703,792 passengers arrived in the US from Belgium on direct flights.  However, many of those were transit passengers, as only about 250,000 arrivals in the US reported Belgium as their country of residency.

As part of USDA, PPQ’s Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Monitoring system, 834 air passengers arriving in the US from Belgium in fiscal 2002 were sampled for items of agriculture interest.  None of the passengers from Belgium were found to be carrying poultry products.

Source: US Dept. of Transportation; US Dept. of Commerce; USDA, PPQ

Are there any political/trade issues between the US and Belgium?

Belgium is a member of the European Union (EU) and is thereby a party to several ongoing trade issues between the US and the EU.  Regarding poultry, the EU has prohibited the use of antimicrobial treatments in poultry production since 1997, thereby effectively shutting off US poultry exports to the EU.  Other issues include the EU’s ban on imports of red meat from animals treated with growth promotants; an EU ban on the use of specified risk materials (re: BSE) in food, feed, and fertilizer; and proposed EU legislation that would require animal by-products not intended for human consumption be derived from carcasses of animals fit for human consumption.

Source: USTR, 2002 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers; USDA, Office of Agricultural Affairs, US Missions to the EU, Apr 17, 2001 and Jun 26, 2002.

CEI’s plans for follow up:  CEI does not intend to produce any follow-up reports regarding HPAI in Belgium.  If you need more information or would like to comment on this worksheet, you may reply to this message or contact Chris Kopral at (970) 494-7325.