The Manufacturers’ Council of Papua New Guinea has described the ban on some uncooked poultry products from Australia as ‘premature’, and has called for the ban to be lifted.

The Manufacturers’ Council’s Chey Scovell

PNG’s trade minister imposed the ban last month citing ‘the danger of campylobacter’, a bacteria which can cause food poisoning, but one which is killed through cooking.

The ban applies to lean chicken meat, known as mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and mechanically separated meat (MSM), ‘which have become a staple and important source of protein’ for consumers, according to PNGMC CEO, Chey Scovell.

‘There are no biosecurity, economic or socio-economic considerations to justify the inclusion of chicken MDM/MSM in the import ban and it should be lifted on these products,’ he told Business Advantage PNG.

Scovell says PNG’s smallgoods industry contends there is no biosecurity risk as MDM products are handled when frozen and cooked when they make their products.

‘Given the presence of campylobacter in our own flocks and the controls in place for the handling of MDM/MSM, there should be an immediate distinction drawn between chicken MDM/MSM and other uncooked poultry products.’

Job losses

PNG chickens. Credit: Tablebirds

If it stands, the current ban could lead to the loss of 100 jobs within weeks, he says.

He adds the bans are ‘premature’, given the Agriculture Minister is awaiting two reports on the industry, due at the end of the year.

As we reported last month, poultry producers in Papua New Guinea have welcomed the ban, saying it will strengthen PNG’s biosecurity regime.

Meanwhile, Mainland Holdings Chairman William Lamur says the company is ready to export uncooked poultry products as the company’s plants are now meeting international standards in food safety and hazard analysis assessment.