MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration has released an expanded list of countries affected by a temporary ban on the importation and sale of processed pork meat products amid growing fears over the spread of African swine fever virus.
In an updated order dated May 27, 2019 but released Tuesday, the FDA included Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova and Belgium in its list.
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The FDA, which is under the Department of Health, issued in September last year an order declaring a temporary ban on the importation and distribution of pork meat products from countries suspected to be affected by the virus.
The initial list, which still stands, includes China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.
“The public is advised to exercise extreme caution in purchasing and consuming processed pork meat products and is advised to only consume processed pork meat products which are sourced from countries other than the above listed countries suspected to be affected by ASF virus,” the FDA said.
‘Pull out Ma-Ling’
While the disease is usually fatal in pigs but not harmful to humans, the African swine fever can cause major economic loss to swine industries.
China and Vietnam, two of the countries worst hit by the virus, have already culled millions of hogs infected by the disease.
Also on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol urged the FDA to stop issuing import clearances and order the immediate market pullout of processed pork products from countries affected by the virus, including the 'Ma-Ling' brand luncheon meat from China.
This was after a reported incident involving a returning overseas Filipino worker who was intercepted while bringing in cans of Ma-Ling pork luncheon meat despite a ban and cut off date for the entry of processed pork products from China issued last year, Piñol said.
“DA Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan and the hog industry stakeholders will meet with the new FDA Director General Dr. Domingo today to thresh out issues involving the continued entry of processed pork products, commodities which are under the jurisdiction of the FDA,” Piñol said. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral