December 11, 2006

Philippines lifts ban on poultry exports from Netherlands

The Philippines has lifted the ban on the importation of poultry, poultry products and wild birds from the Netherlands following the report submitted by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) that no new outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) have been reported in the country.

According to the Business Mirror Daily, the ban was lifted under Memorandum Order 34 issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA) after it allowed other European poultry-producing countries such as Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom to re-export chicken and its products to the country. 

Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras said the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has reported negligible risk of bird-flu contamination of poultry products from the Netherlands and traders who wish to import from the country can secure import permits.           
          
The temporary ban on poultry products from the Netherlands was imposed via Memorandum Order 27 dated August 11 this year after the government found the presence of a low-risk form of bird flu there.
           
While the Netherlands is not the traditional source of the Philippines for poultry products, BAI director Dr. Davinio Catbagan had earlier said the implementation of the ban was done as a preventive measure to ensure that the dreaded bird flu virus will not enter the country.
           
The Philippines joined Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China in imposing the ban on Dutch poultry and poultry products in August.
           
As neighbouring poultry leaders such as Thailand and Malaysia were ravaged by the epidemic, local raisers are seeking to take advantage on the European and Middle East markets for chicken exports. The Philippines currently supplies yakitori or skewered chicken to Japan.