DA lifts ban on poultry products from US, Japan

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the ban on the importation of poultry poducts from Japan and the United States after the two countries, previously afflicted with the avian flu virus, were declared bird-flu free last month by the Paris-based Office International des Epizooties.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap issued a memorandum last week, lifting the ban imposed last March on the importation of domestic and wild birds, and their products, including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen coming from Texas, Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

The memorandum also applies to Japan, another country plagued with the bird flu virus earlier this year.

"Based on the final report submitted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF) to the OIE, both countries completely eradicated the H5N1 subtype of avian influenza," said Yap.

Japan and the US said the affected flocks were immediately depopulated and all index premises were completely cleaned and disinfected, while movement control was strictly carried out within the areas around the index premises. No further evidence had been detected.

Last week, the DA also lifted the ban on the importation of poultry products from Taiwan on the basis of a report that it has eradicated the bird flu plague.

The lifting of the ban was recommended by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) which earlier called for a ban on imports of all poultry products from Malaysia, the latest Southeast Asian nation to be contaminated with the avian influenza.

Taiwan said it has eliminated the H5N2 type of avian flu since April 21 in 24 premises in eight prefectures.

"Based on the extensive surveillance in the three-kilometer radius buffer zone around the index flock, they have not detected any evidence of the virus since March 9. On the evaluation of the Bureau of Animal Industry, the risk of contamination from importing poultry from Taiwan is negligible," he said.

Still, all shipments should undergo proper importation procedures and conform with existing regulations of the DA, BAI and the National Meat Inspection Commission.

The other countries still banned from exporting poultry products to the Philippines are Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, Cambodia, Canada and The Netherlands.