Newcastle Disease

Bulgaria , December 29, 2004

Impact Worksheet

Summary:

The Delegate of Bulgaria to the OIE reported on December 23, 2004 an outbreak of Newcastle disease detected initially on December 10, 2004, on a premises with backyard poultry (subsistence farming) in the district of Kardjali.  The affected flock contained 448 poultry.  Control measures include destruction of all birds on the infected premises, ring vaccination in the protection and surveillance zones, and daily clinical inspections throughout the whole administrative district.

The US imported no poultry products of concern from Bulgaria in 2003 or through October 2004.  Only one live bird was imported from Bulgaria into the US in 2003 and no live birds or poultry were imported during 2004 to date.  All live poultry and other bird species imported in the US (except from Canada) are required to have a USDA issued import permit, a health certificate issued by a government veterinarian in the country of origin, and be quarantined for 30 days in a USDA animal import quarantine facility.  This includes pet birds as well as commercial birds.  During the quarantine period, the birds are tested for various infectious pathogens. 

In 2004, Bulgaria had 18 million chickens and produced 110 thousand metric tons of chicken meat and 92 thousand metric tons of eggs.  Bulgaria has minor stocks of ducks, geese and turkeys; however, Bulgaria does export a significant proportion of world exports of goose meat and liver, accounting for 3.4% and 11.6% of world exports of these products, respectively.  Bulgaria exports small amounts of live chickens and turkeys, chicken and turkey meat, eggs in the shell, and liquid and dried eggs, accounting for less than 1% of world exports of each of these products.

How extensive is Newcastle disease in Bulgaria , and what was Bulgaria ’s disease status prior to the outbreak?

The Delegate of Bulgaria to the OIE reported on December 23, 2004 an outbreak of Newcastle disease detected initially on December 10, 2004, on a premises with backyard poultry (subsistence farming).  The affected premises is located in Yadere, village of Ridino, municipality of Dgebel, administrative district of Kardjali (see Map).  There was a total of 448 poultry on the premises, with 85 hen deaths.  The remaining 363 poultry were destroyed.  Additional control measures include ring vaccination in the protection and surveillance zones, and daily clinical inspections throughout the whole administrative district of Kardjali. 

The last previous outbreak of Newcastle disease in Bulgaria reported to the OIE was in January 1993.  The US does not recognize Bulgaria as free of Newcastle disease.

Source: OIE Disease Information  report

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

In 2004, Bulgaria had approximately 18 million chickens and produced 110 thousand metric tons of chicken meat and 92 thousand metric tons of eggs (Table 1).  According to the 2002 US Foreign Agricultural Service Gain Report on poultry in Bulgaria , there were 85 commercial poultry farms for production of poultry meat and eggs in 2002.  Of these 85 farms, about 10 are leading producers of eggs and about 5 are leading producers of chicken meat.

In 2003, Bulgaria exported small quantities of chickens, chicken meat, turkey meat, eggs in the shell, and liquid and dried eggs, accounting for less than 1% of world trade in each of these products (Table 2).  Although no exports of duck meat were reported in 2002, in 2003 Bulgaria accounted for 1.6% of world duck meat export value.  Bulgaria ’s exports of goose meat and goose liver in 2003 accounted for 8.3% and 10.3% of world export value for these products, respectively.

Table 1: Poultry Stocks and Production, Bulgaria , 2003 and 2004

Table 2:  Exports of Poultry and Poultry Products, Bulgaria , 2002 - 2003

Exports	2002		2003		% of World in 2003
	Quantity (# head or mt)	Value (1000 $)	Quantity (# head or mt)	Value (1000 $)	Quantity	Value
Chickens	477,000	220	219,000	120	<1%	<1%
Turkeys	0	0	1000	1	<1%	<1%
Chicken meat	3,266	17,134	594	971	<1%	<1%
Duck meat	0	0	1,067	5,271	<1%	1.6%
Goose meat	37	215	1,699	11,954	3.4%	8.3%
Turkey meat	103	207	98	195	<1%	<1%
Goose Liver	329	3,244	444	5,810	11.6%	10.3%
Eggs in the shell	2,138	2,195	3,930	4,649	<1%	<1%
Eggs, liquid and dried	28	110	26	96	<1%	<1%

Source: United Nations FAO; USFAS Gain Report #BU2016 Bulgaria Poultry and Products 2002

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

Only one live bird was imported from Bulgaria into the US in 2003 and no live birds or poultry were imported during 2004 to date.  All live poultry and other bird species imported into the US (except from Canada) are required to have a USDA issued import permit, a health certificate issued by a government veterinarian in the country of origin, and be quarantined for 30 days in a USDA animal import quarantine facility.  This includes pet birds as well as commercial birds.  During the quarantine period, the birds are tested for various infectious pathogens. 

The US imported no poultry products from Bulgaria in 2003 or through October 2004.  Neither Canada nor Mexico imported live poultry or poultry products from Bulgaria in 2003 or through September 2004.

Source: World Trade Atlas; VS Import Tracking System

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

A total of 13,868 residents of Bulgaria arrived on flights to the US during 2003.  As part of APHIS-PPQ’s agriculture quarantine inspection monitoring, 135 air passengers from Bulgaria were sampled for items of agricultural interest in fiscal year 2003.  None of these passengers were found to be carrying poultry products.

Source: Office of Travel & Tourism Industries, US Department of Commerce, USDA APHIS-PPQ Agricultural Quarantine Inspection databases, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

CEI’s plans for follow up: CEI will continue to monitor the situation but has no plans at this time to issue additional reports.  If you would like additional information or if you want to comment on this worksheet, you may reply to this message, or contact Judy Akkina at (970) 494-7324.