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China screens pigs, pork products at ports, markets, farms
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-30 23:26

BEIJING -- China has begun screening imported pigs and pork products for the H1N1 virus, which causes swine flu, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced Thursday.

Customs posts across the country were required to conduct strict checks of imports, especially those from countries and regions affected by swine flu, according to the GAC.

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Products without valid quality certification will be banned from coming into China.

Customs authorities will also strengthen X-ray searches for animals and animal products carried by travelers. All such articles would be handed over to quarantine departments for examination.

At the same time, the GAC urged customs at all levels to crack down on the smuggling of pork products.

Meanwhile, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) Thursday has ordered greater market supervision of domestic pork markets.

Industry and commerce departments will inspect food markets, cold storages and pork processing workshops nationwide. Pork products imported from areas affected by swine flu would be banned from sales.

Customs statistics show the Chinese mainland imported pork products from Denmark, the United States, Canada, France, Spain and Germany in the first quarter. The mainland also imported pork products from Taiwan in the same period.

No pork products came from Mexico, and customs would closely monitor imports and exports of pigs and pork products, the GAC said.

The SAIC also promised to carry out timely quality checks on pork reported by customers or inspectors as problematic.

The Ministry of Agriculture Thursday issued an emergency response act against the swine flu, urging local veterinary administrations across the country to report within two hours any finding of flu symptoms among pig herds.