Avian Influenza, Ukraine,

December 7, 2005

Impact Worksheet

 

Summary:  On December 5, 2005 outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) virus subtype H5 were reported in five villages, located in three districts (Dzhankoyskiy, Nizhnegorskiy, and Sovetskiy) of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine.  Testing to determine the N subtype and the pathogenicity of the virus is not yet complete. 

In 2004, Ukraine’s poultry stocks totaled about 147 million chickens, ducks, and turkeys, amounting to almost 1% of world poultry stocks.  As a share of the world’s total production, Ukraine produced 1.2% of hen egg production and less than 1% of chicken meat production.  During 2003, Ukraine exported 721,000 live chickens valued at $448,000, accounting for less than 1% of world live chicken exports.  Ukraine’s largest poultry meat export in 2003 was canned chicken meat, primarily being exported to Russia and Belarus.

The US did not import any live poultry or poultry meat from Ukraine, but did import almost 95,000 kilograms of clean down stuffing from January to September 2005.  Canada imported approximately 2,000 kilograms of clean down stuffing from Ukraine during the same time period.  Neither Canada nor Mexico imported any live poultry or poultry meat from Ukraine from January through August 2005.

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

On December 5, 2005 outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) virus subtype H5 were reported in five villages, located in three districts (Dzhankoyskiy, Nizhnegorskiy, and Sovetskiy) of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (see map below).  The outbreaks reportedly began on November 25.  Testing to determine the N subtype and the pathogenicity of the virus is not yet complete.  There were 19,898 chickens and geese in the affected villages, with 1,941 cases/deaths, and 2,633 birds destroyed.  The source of the outbreaks is thought to be contact with wild birds.  Control measures include stamping out, quarantine, movement control inside the country, disinfection of infected premises, screening, zoning, and control of wildlife reservoirs.  This is the first reported occurrence of AI in Ukraine.

Outbreaks of the Asian HPAI subtype H5N1 have occurred in domestic poultry in several European countries during the past six months including Russia (July 2005), Kazakhstan (August 2005), Turkey (October 2005), and Romania (October 2005).  Impact worksheets regarding these outbreaks can be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/worksheets.htm.  In Eurasia, HPAI subtype H5N1 has been detected in wild birds in Croatia beginning in October 2005.

Source: OIE Disease Information Report

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

Ukraine produced 121 million chickens and almost 673 thousand metric tons of hen eggs in 2004, representing less than 1% of world stocks of chickens and 1.2% of world stocks of hen eggs (Table 1).  Ukraine had almost 2% of world duck stocks in 2004.  Production of chicken meat in 2004 was 295,000 metric tons, less than 1% of world production.  Ukraine exported only small amounts of live chickens and poultry products in 2003 (Table 2).  Canned chicken meat is the primary poultry meat product exported and goes to Russia and Belarus under free trade agreements. 

 Table 1: Poultry Stocks and Production, Ukraine, 2003 - 2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2:  Exports of Live Animal and Animal Products, Ukraine, 2002 - 2003

Exports	2002		2003		% of World in 2003
	Quantity (# head or mt)	Value (1000 $)	Quantity (# head or mt)	Value (1000 $)	Quantity (# head or mt)	Value (1000 $)
Live Birds (1,000 head)
Chickens	233	158	721	448	< 1 %	< 1 %
Poultry Products (Metric tons)
Hen eggs	61	63	278	344	< 1 %	< 1 %
Chicken meat	3,563	3,481	814	669	< 1 %	< 1 %
Canned chicken meat	73	5	4,528	3,587	< 1 %	< 1 %
Duck meat	20	< 1	37	20	< 1 %	< 1 %
Turkey meat	0	0	20	21	< 1 %	< 1 %

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: United Nations FAO; Foreign Agricultural Service Attache Report, Ukraine Poultry and Products Annual 2005

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

The US did not import any live poultry, poultry meat, or eggs from Ukraine during January 2004 through September 2005.  The US did import from Ukraine clean down stuffing weighing 94,827 kilograms (valued at $690,000) from January through September 2005 and 22,352 kilograms (valued at $279,000) in 2004.  Clean down stuffing is not considered a disease transmission risk if properly cleaned.

Source: World Trade Atlas

What are Canada’s and Mexico’s imports of poultry or poultry products from Ukraine?

Canada did not import any live poultry, poultry meat, or eggs from January 2004 through September 2005.  Canada imported clean down stuffing weighing 2,062 kilograms (valued at Canadian $80,000) from January through September 2005 and 4,771 kilograms (valued at Canadian $186,000) in 2004.  Mexico did not import any poultry or poultry products from Ukraine from January 2004 through August 2005.

Source: World Trade Atlas;

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

In 2004, 29,892 people flew from Ukraine to the US on direct flights.  This number does not include passengers who did not originate their travel in Ukraine nor arrived via indirect flights.   As part of APHIS-PPQ’s agriculture quarantine inspection monitoring, 948 air passengers from Ukraine were sampled for items of agricultural interest in fiscal year 2004.  Four passengers were found to be carrying a total of 8 kilograms of preserved eggs; none of these passengers were planning to visit a farm or ranch in the US.

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:

At this time CEI has no plans to provide additional information on this subject.  If you need more information or if you want to comment on this worksheet, you may reply to this message, or contact Judy Akkina (979) 494-7324.