Poultry import ban on 2 countries lifted

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has lifted the temporary bans on poultry imports from Spain, Denmark and the Czech Republic due to resolved outbreaks of the avian virus.

In separate memorandum orders signed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, the Department of Agriculture (DA) lifted the temporary importation bans on the three countries, which covered poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen.

The DA said based on respective final reports of the three countries to the World Animal Health Organization (OIE), the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) events have already been closed and resolved.

“Based on the evaluation of the DA the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible,” the DA said in three separate memorandum orders.

The DA earlier issued a temporary ban on poultry imports from the Czech Republic in February last year due to an outbreak of the HPAI in Dlouhalhota, Tabor, Jihocesky.

It also issued a temporary ban on poultry imports from Denmark in March last year, due to an outbreak of the HPAI virus in the municipality of Bornholm, Denmark.