September 13, 2013

Philippines bans poultry products from Taiwan and Netherlands

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture has issued Memorandum Orders 28 and 29 authorising the implementation of a temporary ban on poultry products, including day-old chicks and eggs from Taiwan and Tzum in Friesland, the Netherlands.

After the Animal Health Research Institute in Taiwan confirmed the presence of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) in a duck farm, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso J. Alcala imposed the ban on Taiwanese poultry.

The DA imposed the ban on poultry products from Tzum in Friesland, the Netherlands, after the LPAI serotype H7 detected in domestic birds was confirmed by its Central Veterinary Institute.

While Taiwan and the Netherlands are not major sources of poultry meat and other poultry products for the Philippines, imposing the ban was necessary.

Alcala said there is a need to prevent the entry of the LPAI virus to protect the health of local poultry, which remains avian influenza-free. With the temporary ban in place, the DA has suspended the processing, evaluation of application and issuance of veterinary quarantine clearance to import the poultry meat and other poultry products from Taiwan and Tzum, Friesland.

He warned that live poultry and poultry meat originating from Tzum, Friesland, and Taiwan will be confiscated.

On Wednesday (Sep 11), airport Customs and animal quarantine officials confiscated more than 15 kilogrammes of uncooked chicken and duck meat, including six kilogrammes of fresh duck eggs from Chinese passenger from Xiamen.

Due to the outbreak of bird flu in China, animal quarantine officer Arlon Sanchez said a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, including day-old chicken, eggs and other poultry products from the country still stands.

Sanchez confiscated the items as the Chinese passengers failed to produce health certificates and import permit. He said this is meant to protect the local poultry industry from possible contamination from avian influenza and to protect the local poultry population.