November 9, 2004

Philippines Lifts Chicken Import Ban on Japan, Taiwan, US

The Philippine government has lifted the temporary ban on chicken imports from Taiwan, Japan and the United States. The move comes in light of the continuing bird-flu free status in the country, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

BAI will continue to conduct disease surveillance in priority regions and provinces of the country even after the ban is lifted.

The Philippine poultry industry has benefited from the country's bird flu status. It obtained export markets left by Asian neighbors which were affected by the disease.

BAI reported that a total of 534,286.35 kilograms of chicken have been exported to Japan. As of Sept. 20, 111,692 kg of day-old chicks had been shipped to Brunei, Bangladesh and Malaysia.