The United States said on Tuesday it was taking action at the World Trade Organization against India's ban on imports of certain U.S. farm products, including poultry meat and eggs, which India says is needed to prevent avian influenza.
"The United States is the world's leader in agricultural safety and we are confident that the WTO will confirm that India's ban is unjustified," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement on the U.S. request for consultations.
India's prohibitions on poultry and various other U.S. farm goods date to at least February 2007 and are "clearly a case of disguising trade restrictions by invoking unjustified animal health concerns," Kirk said.
International scientific standards for controlling avian influenza do not support banning imports due to low pathogenic avian influenza, which is the only type detected in the United States since 2004, Kirk's office said.
The United States is the world's largest broiler meat producer and second largest exporter, behind Brazil.
India's broiler meat consumption has risen from 2.23 million metric tons in 2007 to a projected 2.75 million this year, according to a U.S. Agriculture Department report.
India is forecast to produce about 2.70 million metric tons of broiler meat this year, providing some opportunity for imports, the Agriculture Department report showed.
Consultations are the first step in the WTO dispute settlement process and parties are encouraged to agree to a solution at this stage. If the matter is not resolved through consultations, the United States may request the establishment of a WTO dispute settlement panel.
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