January 23, 2008

Philippines welcomes poultry officials from Singapore, looks forward to exports

The Philippines is optimistic on starting poultry and pork trade with Singapore as a team of Singaporean quarantine officials inspect meat facilities.

Agriculture secretary Arthur Yap said yesterday that the country is hopeful that the ocular inspection will herald the start of poultry and pork exports to Singapore.

In 2007, the Philippine government was not able to meet its target of exporting chicken and pork products to Singapore despite measures undertaken by the agriculture department to initiate poultry trade.

This year, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) director Davinio Catbagan said his agency would ensure that local meat exporters meet Singapore's stringent quarantine standards.

BAI inspected farms in Mindanao to check on the feeding practices of hog and poultry raisers as Singapore is reportedly strict with the use of drugs, such as antibiotics, in meat products.

The agriculture department has high hopes that exports of pork and poultry products from the Philippines could gain approval from Singapore officials as the country has been declared free from foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu.