01.11.2006

The European Union lifted a ban on South African ostrich meat imposed in July after avian influenza outbreaks. The ban effectively stopped the import of ostrich, emus and their meat and eggs from South Africa, following an outbreak of the H5N2 virus in farms in Mossel Bay and Riversdale in the Western Cape.
South Africa exports 90 percent of its ostrich products to the European Union countries, and is the world leader in the production of ostrich products, accounting for 70 percent of such products in the entire world.
The European Union informed South Africa that it accepts the country's status as free from highly pathogenic notifiable avian influenza.