June 15, 2010

FMD-free status to benefit Philippines' position in global meat market

The Philippines stands a good chance of raising its share in the global meat market after international animal health authorities declared that the country is free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

FMD is a disease that afflicts livestock and recurrent infestation condemns meat exporting nations to years of slump since such exports are banned. It would take long years of isolation before the disease is minimised and eventually
eradicated.

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) said that the country has been declared to be FMD-free by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the World Organisation for Animal Health.

FMD has been a deterrent to the growth in production and marketability of the local swine sector for the past 15 years since there has been a number of outbreaks of the disease among bovines.

With the OIE certification, BAI said both the swine and cattle industries could now enter the export market with more vigour.

BAI assistant director and National FMD Task Force chief Dr. Victor C. Atienza said the OIE recognition would be a big boost to the export of pork and pork products, along with beef and its by products. The Department of Agriculture (DA) had been working to gain such recognition in the past two decades.