NEW DELHI: India is set to tighten norms for imports of American chicken legs by proposing to keep out frozen chicken older than six months and those that have consumed hormones or genetically modified feed as the country prepares to contest a WTO order to lift a ban on purchases of US poultry.The new standards, which may kick in within six months, could offer some protection to the growing domestic poultry industry from competitively priced American chicken legs.While the Indian industry will also have to meet these food safety norms, being brought in as part of the government’s quality initiative, it has an advantage since it largely consists of fresh poultry and does not rely on GM feed.

The World Trade Organization asked India in October to lift a ban on American chicken, imposed on account of avian influenza in 2007, calling it ‘unscientific’ and non-compliant with the global trade body’s rules.

India will challenge the WTO order in the appellate body in a couple of days, citing domestic food safety concerns.The new import norms are being prepared by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India in consultation with the department of commerce and the department of animal husbandry, dairying & fisheries.“We are working out standards for poultry and are discussing banning the sale of chicken older than six months. Also, poultry must not be fed with genetically modified feed, growth hormones and antibiotics,” a government official said. US frozen chicken legs are stored for about four to five years and its poultry consume growth hormones and GM feed, a significant concern in India.FSSAI has put out a draft order for meat and poultry products, inviting public comments. It has proposed that poultry birds should not be given feed containing meat, bone and blood. Besides, the use of antibiotics in feed and growth hormones will not be allowed.It also said that slaughtering or processing of bovine meat will be prohibited where poultry meat is produced for human consumption. “The order will come into effect from July 2015,” FSSAI said in the draft order.US consumers prefer chicken breasts and the less-favoured legs are frozen for export to other markets at highly competitive prices. Chicken legs, which are popular in India, are priced locally at about Rs 150-170 per kg, while the US sells them at Rs 40-50 per kg.The FSSAI will work with the department of animal husbandry to modify health certificates for meat and poultry sold to India.“It will require competent authority of the exporting country to provide certifications to India in compliance with requirements to allow for placing of meat and poultry in Indian market,” it said in the draft order.More than 20 countries, including members of the EU, South Korea and South Africa , have imposed curbs on poultry from certain US states or the entire country. China halted imports of US poultry and eggs after an avian flu strain was detected in the Pacific Northwest. The EU banned US chicken on account of chlorine treatment.