News Details

PH bans poultry imports from Belgium, France

NPO

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January 9, 2024

MANILA BULLETIN

The Department of Agriculture (DA) imposed a ban on the importation of all poultry products from Belgium and France in response to the recent outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in domestic birds in these European nations.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. said the import bans, which also cover wild birds, imposed on the neighboring European countries were necessary to prevent the possible entry of HPAI-H5N1 into the Philippines.

H5N1 is a strain of virus responsible for avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.

“We’re doing this to protect the health of our local poultry population as well as poultry workers and consumers since H5N1 is a virus that can be transmitted to humans by infected animals,” Laurel said.

Belgium and France both reported outbreaks of bird flu in domestic birds to the WOAH almost simultaneously, with the former submitting its report on Dec. 1, 2023, and the latter on Nov. 30, 2023.

The DA's ban will immediately stop the importation of domestic and wild birds from Belgium and France. 

These indefinite import bans also prohibit the entry of Belgian and French poultry products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, hatching eggs, and poultry semen into the Philippines, effective Jan. 8, 2024.

Meat imports that were already in transit, loaded, or accepted before the ban will still be permitted to enter the country if the poultry were slaughtered or the products were produced on or before Nov. 12, 2023, in the case of France, and Nov. 16, 2023, for Belgium. 

However, all imports after the specified dates will not be considered upon arrival in the country, except for heat-treated products.

In 2022, the Philippines saw a 1.57 percent rise in total poultry meat imports compared to 2021, amounting to 411,070 metric tons valued at $468.4 million. Belgium contributed 2.60 percent of the total imports, while no poultry meat was imported from France.

By 2023, the Philippines' poultry meat imports reached 426,620 metric tons valued at $418.13, marking a 3.78 percent increase from 2022. 

France and Belgium accounted for 0.01 percent and 0.59 percent, respectively, of the total imports.

The DA said that the import bans will remain in effect unless revoked by the agency.