04-07-2025
PH lifts ban on imported poultry from Brazil
The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the ban on importing domestic and wild birds, including poultry products, from Brazil.
In a statement on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laure Jr. said he issued Memorandum Order No. 35, which lifted the importation ban on poultry and birds from the Latin American country imposed on May 19, following an outbreak of avian influenza in the South American nation.
The previous ban covers poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from Brazil.
Tiu Laurel said the MO 35 was issued after Brazilian veterinary authorities reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that the outbreak had been resolved and no new cases have been recorded since June 18.
Citing the guidelines of the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, the Agriculture chief declared that Brazil is now considered free of avian influenza.
He added that an evaluation conducted by the DA, through the Bureau of Animal Industry, found the risk of contamination from importing poultry and related products from Brazil to be 'negligible.'
Tiu Laurel said the order takes effect immediately and will remain in force until further notice.
Brazil is one of the world's largest poultry exporters, reportedly accounting for a third of global chicken trade.
By resuming imports from Brazil, the DA chief said the move aligns with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to diversify the country's sources of imported agricultural products.
It also aims to strengthen food security and reduce the risks associated with relying too heavily on a limited number of suppliers. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
