MOSCOW, September 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has lifted temporary restrictions on the imports of poultry products from Italy, imposed in August following an outbreak of bird flu, Russia's agricultural watchdog said Thursday.

"Given the situation with bird flu in Italy, Rosselkhoznadzor has decided to cancel restrictions imposed by Russia earlier on the import of live poultry, eggs, meat products and all other products which have not been subject to heat treatment," the watchdog said.

The restrictions on imports of feed and supplementary feed, as well as equipment used on poultry farms have also been lifted.

The ban will continue for the province of Ravenna, northwest Italy.

Italian Agriculture Minister Paolo De Castro said earlier Russia's ban on poultry imports from Italy was ungrounded. He added that Italy's control was one of the strictest in Europe, and poultry deliveries to the domestic and foreign market came exclusively from healthy birds.