AI concerns prompts Philippine poultry import bans

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Philippines has temporarily banned the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products from the US state of Oregon and Israel following incidences of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

Poultry products from Oregon including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen will not be allowed to enter the country. With the exception of heat-treated products, all such shipments will be confiscated by DA quarantine officers upon arrival.

This move is in response to the presence of HPAI H5N8 strain being confirmed in a Douglas County backyard bird flock near Winston on Dec. 19, 2014.

HPAI in Israel

In addition, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has ordered the import ban on domesticated and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from Haifa in Israel to protect the health of the local livestock population and food safety in the country from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

The Philippines remains free from avian influenza that has affected the poultry industries of neighbouring Asian countries since 2003.