Pork products from Belgium, Poland seized in Cebu port

MANILA, Philippines — More than 600 kilos of imported pork products from Poland and Belgium, which are among the countries affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF), have been confiscated at the Cebu City port.

Alice Utlang, city veterinary office head, said 260 kilos of frozen pork flat bones from Poland consigned to Enzo Meat Products and 378 kilos of pork cutting fat from Belgium imported by EN Asia Import Export Corp. were seized and incinerated.

Utlang said the importers face sanctions and penalties provided in a local government ordinance. The national government may also consider the cancellation of the import permits.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) ordered a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products, including pork meat from  Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia, which were affected by the ASF.

Laos, the latest country hit by ASF, was recently added to the list.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol suspended the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance of commodities from ASF-hit countries.