DA bans poultry from The Netherlands

INQUIRER FILES

The Department of Agriculture (DA) temporarily banned the importation of poultry products from The Netherlands after cases of bird flu were recorded in the European country.

The temporary importation ban went into effect immediately and was meant to “protect the health of the local poultry population,” the DA said in Memorandum Order No. 56 dated Dec. 9.

The memo covers domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen.

READ: DA reimposes ban on poultry from California

Following the imposition of the import restriction, the DA immediately suspended the processing and evaluation of applications, and the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances.

Shipments originating from The Netherlands either in transit, loaded or accepted unto port before informing Dutch authorities of the poultry import ban are excluded as long as the products were slaughtered or produced on or before Dec. 3.

All veterinary quarantine officers or inspectors will stop and confiscate poultry commodities delivered into the Philippines at all major ports of entry.

The DA order came after Dutch authorities reported an additional outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Putten, Gelderland affecting domestic birds on Nov. 17 this year.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), avian influenza is a highly contagious viral disease affecting both domestic and wild birds. It is caused by viruses divided into multiple subtypes whose genetic characteristics rapidly evolve.

“The disease occurs worldwide but different subtypes are more prevalent in certain regions than others,” the WOAH said in its website.

The DA is authorized by existing laws and policies to implement importation bans or other relevant orders to prevent the entry of animals, animal effects, parts or products from any country with dangerous communicable animal diseases. INQ