Import ban on Minnesota poultry, eggs lifted
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MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the temporary ban on imported domestic and wild birds, as well as poultry products from the US state of Minnesota, after it cleared all reported avian flu cases.
In a statement on Tuesday, the DA said the Philippines now allows the entry of live poultry, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen originating from Minnesota.
“The DA’s decision to lift the import ban was based on official reports from US veterinary authorities to the World Organization for Animal Health, confirming that all reported cases of HPAI in affected counties of Minnesota have been resolved,” the agency said.
READ: Meat imports up 50% as PH battles animal diseases
It added that no new outbreaks had been reported.
The government earlier banned imports from Minnesota to protect the local sector.
Last year, the United States shipped to the Philippines 169,226 metric tons of poultry products, excluding eggs, worth $194.1 million.
On Monday, the DA also said the ban on imported processed pork products from South Korea had been lifted after the Import Risk Analysis (IRA) determined that products from the country meet safety and health standards.
This came six years after the government implemented it due to rising African swine fever (ASF) cases abroad.
The DA said that sterilized pork items from South Korea, which are subjected to “high-level heat treatment,” can enter the local market.
Last month, the DA reactivated the Inter-Agency Livestock Data Analytics Group, meant to equip the government with accurate and up-to-date information for managing price and supply volatility in the meat and poultry industries.
This, as the country continues its battle against animal diseases, particularly ASF and bird flu.
DA earlier said it would launch an aggressive P1-billion swine repopulation program to bring back the hog population to pre-ASF levels.
Recent data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed that seven provinces and five regions have active ASF cases.
