June 27, 2013

Philippines to resume poultry exports to United Arab Emirates

Following the lifting of the ban on June 18, the Philippines is set to resume poultry exports to the United Arab Emirates.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said on Wednesday (Jun 26) that the country could now export dressed chicken to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The UAE issued an administrative order allowing "the importation of all kind of live birds, meats, products, hatching eggs, chicks of one day from the Republic of Philippines."

The UAE declared an import ban on poultry products from Asia in 2011. A country must be able to certify that no cases of avian influenza occurred in the last 12 months, before it could export poultry products to UAE.

"UAE lifted the ban on chicken already. On Sunday (Jun 30), a team from UAE will arrive here to check on our facilities. They are also looking on the country's halal so maybe we can start to export already," Alcala said.

"They will look at our facilities and then we will see if they will issue a country specific accreditation and then after that we will export," he added.