The government has reopened the country’s borders to live domestic and wild birds from six countries and two Malaysian states that were previously under a temporary import ban due to avian influenza outbreaks.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed memorandum orders allowing the resumption of poultry imports specifically for pets and zoo purposes from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Kelantan and Sabah in Malaysia.
‘All import transactions of the above commodities shall be in accordance with existing rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture,’ the DA said.
It added that the move is part of its ongoing efforts to stabilize supply chains and support the country’s growing economy.
The ban had been imposed following reports of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in these areas.
The DA said all cases have since been resolved with no new outbreaks, prompting the decision to allow imports once more.
The agency added that official reports submitted by the veterinary authorities of the concerned countries along with evaluations by the Bureau of Animal Industry indicate that the risk of importing poultry from these areas is now negligible.
Despite the resumption, the DA reminded traders that all shipments must still comply with existing sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
The move follows similar steps taken last September when the DA ended its ban on poultry imports from Israel and South Dakota in the United States after veterinary authorities confirmed that avian influenza outbreaks in those areas had been contained.
At the time, the agency allowed the entry of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, hatching eggs and semen for artificial insemination, citing international reporting standards and scientific evidence to ensure both biosecurity and a steady supply of poultry products.