BRASILIA, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter, put its anti-bird flu plan under discussion Thursday.

    Marcelo Mota, avian health coordinator of the Ministry of Agriculture, said the plan was to be discussed with poultry industry representatives before submitted to a 60-day public consultation.

    Regular animal inspections are stressed in the plan, which also entails the registration of all the poultry in possession in the country and the introduction of geographical identification systems.

    Brazil exported 3.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of poultry products in 2005.

    The H5N1 strain has killed more than 70 people since 2003. Most of the victims had close contact with fowls.

    Experts fear that virus could mutate into a new strain that passes easily among humans and trigger a possible pandemic. Enditem