Tests confirmed the H7N6 subtype of bird flu at a rural chicken farm in the Otago region, Biosecurity New Zealand said in a statement. It is different to the H5N1 strain that has spread globally and raised fears of human transmission.

“Until we’ve cleaned up the situation on this farm, and assuming no other issues pop anywhere else, then we will be able to export again,” Biosecurity and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard told Radio New Zealand after the announcement.

“The incubation period is a maximum of 21 days, so we’ll know at that point what the situation is.”

Biosecurity New Zealand said there were no reports of other sick or dead birds on other poultry farms, and no human health or food safety concerns. It added it was safe to consume thoroughly cooked egg and poultry products.

“We are taking the find seriously … our testing shows it is unrelated to a H7 strain that was identified in Australia earlier this year,” Biosecurity New Zealand deputy director-general Stuart Anderson said in a statement.

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Australia on April 11 agreed to temporarily suspend a case at the WTO over China’s anti-dumping and countervailing duties on barley after Beijing said it would hasten its review on tariffs.

It was agreed then by the major commodity trade partners that China would finish the review in three months, with a possible fourth if required.

“China has now requested this one-month extension, which we have agreed to,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell said in a statement.

“While we are disappointed China’s review could not be completed within the initial three months — we remain hopeful the impediments will be lifted in the near future.”

China’s move to delay its decision on barley tariffs comes as Canberra seeks to stabilize ties with Beijing and remove trade barriers, after relations soured when Australia called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, angering Beijing.

Diplomatic tensions have eased since the centre-left Labor government returned to power in May 2022. Chinese purchases of Australian coal resumed in January after almost three years, and timber in May, and imports of beef have accelerated.

Farrell visited Beijing in May, the first by an Australian trade minister since 2019, and last month said he expected a “favourable decision” from China, Australia’s biggest trading partner, on barley tariffs.

In 2020, China imposed combined duties of 80.5 per cent on Australian barley for five years, prompting Australia to launch a formal appeal to the WTO, which later set up a dispute settlement panel.

“If the duties are not lifted at the end of the four-month period, Australia will resume the dispute in the WTO,” the government spokesperson said.

— Renju Jose is a Reuters correspondent in Sydney.

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