Indian Eggs Banned by Nepal Found in Border Shops in Banke

Nepalgunj. Indian 'eggs' banned by the Government of Nepal have been found in border shops in Banke. The illegal Indian chicken 'eggs' were discovered in various shops in the Jamunaha area of Nepalgunj by a joint market monitoring team.

The Animal Quarantine Office stated that white chicken 'eggs' were found in shops in Jamunaha at a time when the Government of Nepal has banned the import of poultry and poultry products.

"We are conducting market monitoring with the objective of raising public awareness and discouraging illegal activities," said Dr. Hareram Yadav, Chief of the Animal Quarantine Office, Banke. He mentioned that the import of poultry and poultry products from India has been banned for the past 10 years, stating that bringing chicken or eggs illegally from India into Nepal is prohibited.

The joint monitoring team from the Quarantine Office reported that they monitored more than 17 meat shops, hotels, and stores, issuing warnings, and in some cases, confiscated and destroyed the 'eggs' as punitive action. The team seized and destroyed over 15 crates of 'eggs'.

When the monitoring team suddenly arrived at the market for inspection, shopkeepers briefly argued, demanding that the team should provide prior notice before conducting inspections. Senior Veterinarian Dr. Ganesh Pun of the Veterinary Service Expert Center, Banke, noted that providing prior notice would allow for attempts to conceal irregularities during monitoring.

The market monitoring was conducted under the leadership of Senior Veterinarian Dr. Yadav, Chief of the Animal Quarantine Office, Nepalgunj. During the inspection of meat shops, some were found operating without registration, neglecting sanitation, not renewing licenses, and maintaining incorrect bills/receipts.

The monitoring team also inspected commercial poultry farms. The monitoring team included representatives and chiefs from the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Service Expert Center Nepalgunj, the Federation of Cottage and Small Industries, the Animal Service Branch of Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, the Border Security Group Jamunaha, the Border Out Post Jayaspur, the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, and the Area Police Office Jamunaha, among others.