Philippines Bans Poultry Products from Taiwan
MANILA – The Philippines has banned the entry of poultry and wild birds from Taiwan amid a bird flu outbreak.
In a memorandum order, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala ordered the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen that come from Chiayi County, Chinese Taipei.
Citing a report of Taipei’s Agriculture Technology Research Institute to the Office of International des Epizooties (OIE), the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) said an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza serotype H5N8 virus was discovered among breeding geese in Da-Lin township.
In line with the ban, Alcala suspended the processing and evaluation of applications for veterinary quarantine clearance for Taiwanese poultry products.
He also ordered veterinary quarantine officers in all major ports to halt and confiscate all shipments of poultry and poultry products (with the exception of heat treated products) from Taiwan.