Cebu City—Two tons of imported meat from countries affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF) seized last week were incinerated on Friday by Cebu City’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries and the National Meat Inspection Service.
City Veterinarian Dr. Alice Utlang said in a social media post two tons of meat from Belgium were incinerated.
Utlang said the DVMF confiscated two boxes containing an estimated 378 kilograms of pork from Belgium last June 21 while inspecting cold storage vans entering the city.
When the boxes of meat were confiscated, Utlang coordinated with the NMIS to also inspect the cold storage facility in Mandaue City. During the inspection, a total of 1,900 kilos of meat from Belgium were also confiscated.
The “hot meat” was imported by FN Asia Import Export Corporation and a certain Mercy Abello is listed as the buyer. The shipment has import permits, but it was discovered having a manufacturing date of Aug. 30, 2018.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol issued a memorandum on Sept. 17, 2018 for the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their by-products including pork meat and semen originating from Belgium.
Frozen meats with slaughter/process date on or before Aug. 25, 2018 are allowed to enter the country subject to veterinary rules and regulations.
The pork meat that was incinerated was manufactured on Aug. 30, 2018.
Earlier, the Agriculture department imposed another ban on imported swine, swine products, pork and pork products from North Korea—a few days after it banned swine products from Laos.
The Philippines does not import any pork products from Pyongyang, but the Department ordered the ban as soon as it received official communication from the World Animal Health Organization confirming the reports of an outbreak of African Swine Fever.
The outbreak was traced from Buksang farm based on the report of the Central veterinary station of the Ministry of Agriculture and Veterinary Research Institute.
The DA upheld the importance of keeping the local swine and hog industry safe by preventing the entry of the ASF virus.
The ban covers the importation of domestic and wild pigs and their products, including pork meat, pig skin and semen.
All swine and swine products from banned countries will be confiscated and held by veterinary quarantine officials as ordered by the Agriculture department.
