DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Tuesday ordered an importation ban of poultry and other poultry products, including wild birds, from Belgium and France in lieu of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in domestic birds in those countries.

Laurel explained the import bans imposed on the neighboring European countries are necessary to prevent the entry of HPAI-H5N1 in the Philippines.

Belgium and France almost simultaneously reported the bird flu outbreak in domestic birds to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Belgium submitted its report on Dec. 1, 2023 while France on Nov. 30, 2023.

The indefinite import bans also prevent traders from bringing in Belgian and French poultry products, including poultry meat, day-old chicks, hatching eggs, and poultry semen into the Philippines starting Jan. 8, 2024.

Meat imports already in transit, loaded or accepted before the ban, will still be allowed 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.

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

Data showed that in 2022, the Philippines’ total importation of poultry meat increased by 1.57 percent compared to 2021, with 411,070 metric tons valued at $468,455,990.

Belgium accounts for 2.60 percent of the overall arrivals while no importation was recorded from France.

In 2023, Philippine importation of poultry meat reached 426,620 metric tons valued at $418,130,353 which is a 3.78 percent increase compared to 2022.

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Cory Martinez