The Philippines has lifted its temporary ban on the importation of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry and related products, from New Zealand which recently resolved recent cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he authorized the resumption of imports such as poultry meat, day-old chicks, table eggs and poultry semen used for artificial insemination, under Memorandum Order No. 62.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) imposed the ban in January following reports of avian influenza outbreaks in New Zealand.
Tiu Laurel cited official reports submitted by New Zealand authorities to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), confirming that all HPAI cases had been contained and that no new outbreaks had occurred.
The memorandum noted that, based on the DA’s assessment through the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the risk of contamination from imported poultry products is now considered negligible.
“Import transactions for the specified commodities, slaughtered or produced after the issuance of this order, may resume in accordance with existing DA rules and regulations,” Tiu Laurel said.
