France bans import of meat from animals on growth antibiotics
France adopted a decree on Tuesday banning imports of meat from animals treated with growth antibiotics - a practice prohibited in farming within the European Union since 2006..
PARIS, Feb 22 (Reuters) - France adopted a decree on Tuesday banning imports of meat from animals treated with growth antibiotics - a practice prohibited in farming within the European Union since 2006 - in a move that would mainly affect the poultry market.
France is anticipating an EU-wide measure that had been due to enter into force late last month but was delayed by missing legislation on sanitary checks, the farm ministry said in a statement.
The French ban will be effective on April 22, giving professionals two months to obtain an assurance from their suppliers that meat does not come from breeding using growth antibiotics and modify their supply chain if needed.
The ministry said that by giving antibiotics when the animals are not sick, the bacteria get used to the remedy and gradually develop resistance, making antibiotics less effective when needed.
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A French farm ministry official said that Poultry would be the most significant market affected by the ban.
France imported about 45% of the chicken it consumed last year, including both EU and non-EU origins, French poultry industry group Anvol said on Tuesday.
The EU mainly imports Poultry from Brazil, Thailand, and Ukraine. It was not immediately clear how much of the imports could be affected by the ban.
Anvol welcomed France's move but said the ban would only
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