RP ice cream banned in Australia

Australia has banned the importation of ice cream products made by Selecta Dairy Products Inc., pointing out that the ban will only be lifted if the Philippines is declared free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

The ban is another blow to the Philippine livestock sector’s attempt to enter the billion-dollar export trade because of its difficulty to get rid of FMD.

"Australian government authorities have stated categorically that the ban on Selecta ice cream will stay unless we get our act together and ensure that the entire country rids itself of FMD," said Salvador Salacup, assistant secretary of the Department of Agriculture in the recent FMD forum conducted by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists.

The Australian government last month banned Selecta’s ice cream exports after the product was reclassified as a dairy product. It was previously considered an ice confectionery.

Prior to the ban, Selecta was being exported for about two years now by BM Asian Food Import Pty Ltd. which is currently one of the biggest Philippine food products importer, wholesaler and retailer in Australia.

Salacup said the issue on the ban will be handled by Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano, who will determine if there is proper sanitary phytosanitary basis for the ban.

The menacing FMD problem is a major trade barrier both internationally and locally. The local livestock industry, particularly the hog sector has been losing yearly since the last FMD epidemic of 1995.

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) officer-in-charge Davinio Catbagan said the government is targeting to eliminate FMD by the end of the year.

"We are now on our final eradication phase and are targeting to contain existing outbreak areas and to finally eliminate FMD before December," said Catbagan, adding that BAI is in close cooperation with the different stakeholders in the livestock industry, its regional units and local government units.

Catbagan said that since it is difficult to monitor pig farms, especially backyard operations, the authorities are focusing its monitoring on slaughterhouses to ensure that no diseased animal ever goes to the food chain.

FMD is a viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as pigs, carabaos, cattle, sheep and goats. Obvious symptoms are the appearance of vesicles in the foot and mouth of the affected animal.

The presence of FMD guarantees that exports to other countries will be banned, including its products and by-products to their market.

Control measures include studying the patterns which include the establishment of livestock checkpoints and issuance of shipping documents to ensure the health of the transported animals. This also includes emphasizing the cleaning and disinfection and biosecurity practices in livestock establishments and implementing strategic vaccination in FMD-affected areas to protect animals.

Mindanao was previously internationally recognized as an FMD-free zone without vaccination in May 2001.

Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao were later recognized in May 2001 as an FMD-free zone.

Luzon, if successful in its FMD eradication campaign, could qualify as an FMD-free zone witn vaccination and apply for international recognition by the Office Internationale des Epizooties and World Health Organization.

BAI noted that the incidence of FMD in the last six months in Luzon was reduced by 54 percent from last year.