DA bans poultry, pork imports from 4 countries

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is temporarily banning poultry imports from three more countries as well as pork products from Malaysia due to reported cases of the avian virus and African swine fever (ASF).

In separate memorandum orders signed by Agriculture Secretary William Dar, the DA issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Denmark, Sweden and France.

This was in response to the reported ongoing outbreaks of the H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus.

The DA is also ordering the stoppage and confiscation of shipments of the commodities into the country by all DA veterinary quarantine officers/inspectors at all major ports.

In a separate order, the DA also issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products, including pork meat from Malaysia.

A moratorium on any application of Malaysia as an accredited importer of live swine, pork meat and its by-products is also imposed.

The orders took effect on March 23.