THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has lifted a temporary ban on poultry products imported from Poland.
In a memorandum order signed by Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban, the DA will now allow imports of domestic and wild birds and their products from Poland, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen.
“This order is hereby issued to lift the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Poland. All import transactions of the commodities shall be in accordance with existing rules and regulations of the (DA),” it said.
The DA had barred Polish poultry last year due to an outbreak of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
“Based on the evaluation of the DA, the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible,” according to the memorandum, which cited a report from the World Organisation for Animal Health, which found that the outbreak had been “resolved.”
The Philippines imported 249.37 million kilograms of chicken, 197.76 million kilos of duck meat, and 114.42 million kilos of turkey in the seven months to July, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry. — Adrian H. Halili
