February 19, 2024

Philippines lifts ban on Singaporean swine products

The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the lifting of the nine-month ban on swine products and by-products from Singapore, citing the elimination of the African swine fever (ASF) threat in that country, Malaya Business Insight reported.

In its official Order No 2023-0790-A, the FDA stated that the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild swine, as well as pork, skin, processed animal proteins, and semen from Singapore, has been lifted.

The decision was made in accordance with Singapore's self-declaration report to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), confirming the resolution of all ASF-related incidents and the absence of additional outbreaks. The Chief Veterinary Officer Director General of Animal and Veterinary Service of Singapore provided supporting documents for this declaration.

The FDA's evaluation also considered assessments from the Department of Agriculture, concluding that the risk of contamination from pig products originating from Singapore is now negligible.

Initially imposed in May 2023, the ban on pork products from several other countries remains in effect, including China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam, among others.

-      Malaya Business Insight