WINDHOEK (Reuters) - Namibia on Friday suspended imports and the in-transit movement of poultry and poultry products from South Carolina and the Ukraine following the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The Directorate of Veterinary Services said in a statement that live poultry and poultry products, ostriches and ostrich products from the two territories had been suspended.

It said only consignments with products packaged before March 16 will be accepted, while those packaged after the cut-off date will be rejected and sent back to their territory of origin or destroyed at the importer’s cost.

Poultry products from Ukraine may only be allowed to transit through Namibia if they were produced before on or before December 27, it added.

Ukrainian products from poultry slaughtered on or after March 4 will also be allowed to pass through Namibian territory after the highly pathogenic avian influenza - which can cause high mortality rates in birds - was reported on January 18 and resolved on March 4.

Cooked poultry products for commercial purposes from the two territories may be imported into Namibia under a veterinary import permit, the directorate said.