Commonground
Senior Moderator
DA imposes temporary ban on domestic, wild birds from New Zealand over avian flu outbreak
Jan 9, 2025 06:10 PM
Domestic and wild bird importation from New Zealand will be temporarily banned amid threats
of an avian influenza outbreak, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the move is aimed at preventing the entry of high
pathogenic avian influenza into the Philippines.
“The poultry industry, including egg production, is a multi-billion-peso sector that supports
significant investments, creates numerous jobs, and plays a vital role in ensuring the country’s
food security,” said Laurel.
“The ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, as well as eggs, day-old chicks, semen,
and poultry meat, is crucial in preventing the entry of high pathogenic avian influenza into the
Philippines, safeguarding the health of the local poultry population,” he added.
The ban was stipulated in the memorandum issued by Laurel, which was based on the tests
conducted by the New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory on domestic birds from East
Otago, Waitaki, and Canterbury in late November.
The tests yielded positive test results for H7N6 strain of high pathogenicity avian influenza. The
outbreak has been officially reported by New Zealand authorities to the World Organisation for
Animal Health.
Laurel also ordered the immediate suspension of processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary
and phytosanitary import clearances for these items from these areas from New Zealand as part of
the ban.,
He, however, said that shipments already in transit, loaded, or accepted at ports before the official
communication of the ban will be allowed entry, provided the products were slaughtered or
produced before Nov. 9, 2024.
Quarantine authorities, he said, have been instructed to confiscate different poultry commodities
cited in this Memorandum Order.
Continued: https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Clippings-for-January-10-2025.pdf
Jan 9, 2025 06:10 PM
Domestic and wild bird importation from New Zealand will be temporarily banned amid threats
of an avian influenza outbreak, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the move is aimed at preventing the entry of high
pathogenic avian influenza into the Philippines.
“The poultry industry, including egg production, is a multi-billion-peso sector that supports
significant investments, creates numerous jobs, and plays a vital role in ensuring the country’s
food security,” said Laurel.
“The ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, as well as eggs, day-old chicks, semen,
and poultry meat, is crucial in preventing the entry of high pathogenic avian influenza into the
Philippines, safeguarding the health of the local poultry population,” he added.
The ban was stipulated in the memorandum issued by Laurel, which was based on the tests
conducted by the New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory on domestic birds from East
Otago, Waitaki, and Canterbury in late November.
The tests yielded positive test results for H7N6 strain of high pathogenicity avian influenza. The
outbreak has been officially reported by New Zealand authorities to the World Organisation for
Animal Health.
Laurel also ordered the immediate suspension of processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary
and phytosanitary import clearances for these items from these areas from New Zealand as part of
the ban.,
He, however, said that shipments already in transit, loaded, or accepted at ports before the official
communication of the ban will be allowed entry, provided the products were slaughtered or
produced before Nov. 9, 2024.
Quarantine authorities, he said, have been instructed to confiscate different poultry commodities
cited in this Memorandum Order.
Continued: https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Clippings-for-January-10-2025.pdf