January 30, 2004

 

 

Philippines Bans Poultry Imports From Korea, Japan and Vietnam

 

The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) ordered a temporary ban on wild, domestic birds and all poultry products from South Korea, Japan and Vietnam.

Asian countries hit by the virus are also considering importing chickens from the Philippines to meet their poultry demand. Poultry products from the country are so far free from the bird flu virus.

Agriculture Secretary Luisito Lorenzo said the temporary ban on domestic birds importation was upon the recommendation of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) who earlier warned that migratory birds from other Asian countries might be carrying the influenza virus.

Agriculture quarantine officials advised the public not to feed, touch and go near migratory birds as they might come from countries hit by the influenza virus.

Wild ducks and geese are hunted as delicacies in several areas, including the Candaba swamps in Pampanga.

The migratory birds are known to feed in Iloilo, Bicol, Ormoc Bay and in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. It is in Olango that majority of them come to feed.

Task Force

Lorenzo and Health Sec. Manuel Dayrit announced that a special task force has been formed to undertake measures to prevent the disease from contaminating the country.

The task force will coordinate and lead efforts to prevent, diagnose and control bird flu.

Jean Marc Olive, World Health Organization (WHO) country representative, said the task force would boost the Philippine government's efforts to prevent the entry of the disease.

Olive said a vaccine to protect humans from bird flu would become available in the next six to seven months.

Olive said WHO recommends these issues to be prioritized: strengthening surveillance to detect the virus in poultry and human with effective and coordinated laboratory response, and ensure that all ports of entry are monitored to prevent importation or smuggling of any live poultry in the country.

Although the BAI says the country is still free of the avian flu virus, it admitted that the disease has been affecting the local poultry sector since the 1960s.

The Influenza A (H5N1) strain of the avian flu virus, which was originally believed to affect only birds, infected and killed at least eight persons in Asia in January alone.

The virus can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected birds.

However, WHO said there is no evidence that avian flu can be transmitted from one person to another.

Sales Down

On the other hand, restaurant owners and producers said consumption of chicken has dropped by at least 20 percent due to the bird flu scare.

Health officials assured that even chickens infected with the flu virus can still be eaten if properly cooked.

But the country may, after all, benefit from bird flu virus from neighboring Asian countries.

Lorenzo confirms that Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand have indicated interest in importing chicken from the Philippines, which remain free from the deadly avian influenza virus.

Broiler groups, at the same time, see the opportunity of exporting the country's chicken produce.

United Broilers and Retailers Association president Gregorio San Diego said other countries like Japan have been inquiring from Filipino chicken producers.

Lorenzo said he leaves the matter to broiler raisers. The department would rather considerate in addressing the local consumption.

Senate Probe

At the Senate, Department of Health (DOH) and DA officials reassured senators that the country is free of bird flu. At least, for now.

"Based on the present knowledge, it appears to be no risk of transmission of bird flu virus from humans from raw, chilled or frozen food in the country," said Manriquetta Mantala of the DOH.

Mantala also urged the public to cook well the chicken that they buy so that all viruses would be removed or contained.

The DA said all necessary measures have been taken to prevent the rampant smuggling of live poultry in the country.

The Senate committee on agriculture and food, chaired by Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr., conducted a public hearing on Thursday on the alleged smuggling of 19 container vans of chicken reportedly infected with bird flu virus.

The chickens, however, were bird flu free and came from the United States and Canada, where there are no reported bird flu cases so far.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) told the committee that it is working double time to locate the other container vans of chicken so that the chickens would undergo examination. Of the 19 container vans, six have been located and recovered.

Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo also said the agency has filed administrative charges against nine Custom personnel who allegedly allowed the chickens to enter the country without proper documentation.

He also vowed to conduct a thorough investigation to unmask the real owner of these container vans.

However, Sen. Robert Barbers revealed that businessman Lucio Co is allegedly the owner of the 19 container vans of chicken.

He said this is based on an intelligence report that reached his office with regard to the smuggling activities of chicken and other products, like cigarettes and wines being sold in many duty free shops in the country.