October 18, 2010

Philippines to reopen trade talks on pork with Singapore

An infection outbreak in several pig farms in Pandi, Bulacan, in 2008 spoiled the country's first bid to export 50 tonnes to Singapore. The outbreak had since been contained with the help of a 22-member team from three United Nations agencies.

The test results will be sent to Singapore this week, according to the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry.

"We are preparing to communicate with our Singaporean counterpart within the week. The tests conducted on accredited swine farms near the exporting meat plant proved negative to the Ebola antigen test," said Animal Bureau Director Efren Nuestro.

Areas near and around the Matutum Meat facilities, including the five farms that were accredited to export pork to Singapore tested negative, the bureau said.

Nuestro said the Philippine government expects the test results will be sufficient enough for pork farms to proceed with the maiden export of meat to Singapore

"We'll immediately inform the farms if Singapore will allow the exportation so they can prepare the volume. Meanwhile we just have to wait," he said.

Singapore made it clear that the Philippines should have an updated status report on viral contamination to ensure that the virus has been eradicated before the country starts exporting its meat.

Matutum Meat in Polomolok, South Cotabato was supposed to make its first export of pork and pork products to Singapore in 2008, when the Philippine departments of Health and Agriculture confirmed the contamination in Bulacan.

Matutum Meat was the first and only Philippine meat processing plant accredited by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore to ship pork products to the island nation.