CP Foods (CPF) Co Ltd is one of the two AVA-approved establishments in Thailand to export frozen raw chickens to Singapore. The first consignment arrived on 7 November 2013 and successfully cleared AVA's inspection and food safety testing for microbiological hazards and chemical residues and contaminants.
Thailand had been an important source of frozen poultry for Singapore until 2004 when it was hit by the Bird Flu. This led to an import ban on the Thai product by AVA to safeguard public health.
Since the suspension, AVA has been working closely with Thailand's Department of Livestock Development (DLD) to resume the export of Thai frozen poultry to Singapore. Over the years, DLD has put in place many measures to control and prevent Bird Flu incursion in Thailand.
RISK ASSESSMENT AND RESUMPTION OF IMPORT
Prior to lifting the ban for frozen chicken from Thailand, AVA conducted an inspection mission to Thailand in 2012 for an on-site verification of the disease control situation and evaluation of the effectiveness of sanitary controls. AVA and DLD also agreed on a series of risk mitigation measures, which are detailed in the export health certification requirements. These included:
- Official veterinary supervision in the approved slaughter-houses and the export farms.
- All consignments destined for export to Singapore are from approved export farms and the poultry have been tested before export to be free from notifiable Avian Influenza (AI), which include H5 and H7 forms of the virus and a copy of these test results has to accompany each consignment.
Subsequently, two establishments in Thailand (CPF Co Ltd and Golden Line Business Co Ltd) were assessed to be able to meet AVA's import requirements, and received approval in June 2013 to start exporting frozen raw chickens to Singapore.
To verify that these agreed risk mitigation measures are properly implemented, AVA monitors all consignments from Thailand. We conduct post-arrival inspection and food safety testing of the Thai frozen chicken before they are released for public sale. On 7 November 2013, the first consignment successfully cleared AVA's inspection and food safety testing for microbiological hazards and chemical residues and contaminants.
Frozen raw chickens from Thailand are currently being sold to the foodservice sector. Consumers can look forward to buying Thai frozen raw chicken parts retailed at NTUC FairPrice supermarkets from January 2014.