Photo courtesy: Department of Agriculture
The Philippine government has lifted its import ban on wild and domestic birds from Argentina, Romania, and Turkey, it was announced Thursday.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued separate memorandum orders allowing the resumption of poultry imports, after the World Organization on Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the containment of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the three countries.
The Bureau of Animal Industry, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), also determined that the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, live birds, day-old chicks, and poultry semen from those nations is now considered “negligible.”
The DA explained lifting the ban is both strategic and necessary.
“With poultry playing a critical role in ensuring national food security – and contributing significantly to employment and agribusiness – reopening safe import channels is essential for stabilizing supply and keeping prices in check,” it said in a statement.
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