THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it lifted the ban on imports of poultry products from the US state of South Dakota.
Now cleared for import are domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen, according to a memorandum order signed by Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban.
The DA had initially barred poultry from the US state last year due to an outbreak of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
“Based on the official report of the USA in the World Organisation for Animal health (WOAH), all HPAI reported events in the State of South Dakota have ended with resolved status and no additional outbreaks are reported,” the agency said.
The DA said the risk of contamination from the imports of poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible.
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.
An estimated 86.14 million kilograms of chicken were imported from the US, as well as 94,407 kilos of duck, and 89,421 kilos of turkey. — Adrian H. Halili
