THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it imposed a temporary ban on importing live animals and animal products from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, and Palestine after outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in those countries.
The DA said the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations confirmed outbreaks of the FMD virus serotype SAT1 in the seven countries after laboratory diagnosis by the World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and the World Organisation for Animal Health’s (WOAH) reference library network.
In a department circular, the DA instructed veterinary quarantine officers and inspectors to stop and confiscate shipments of prohibited animal commodities arriving at all major ports of entry.
Among the prohibited animal commodities include live swine, cattle, water buffalo, and other FMD-susceptible animals, as well as fresh skeletal muscle meat, casings, tallow, hooves, horns, and animal semen.
The department clarified that products classified by WOAH as “safe commodities” will still be allowed entry to the country, subject to strict import requirements.
Products such as ultra-high temperature milk and dairy products, heat-treated canned meat, protein meal, gelatin, and certain processed hide and leather products will be allowed entry subject to meeting prescribed veterinary certification and processing standards.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said that while the DA remains committed to facilitating safe agricultural trade, its main priority is to protect the health of the livestock industry.
“The Philippines has worked hard to protect its livestock sector from devastating animal diseases,” Mr. Laurel said in a statement issued by the DA.
“Acting swiftly against emerging risks is essential to safeguarding food security, protecting farmers’ livelihoods and preserving public confidence in our food supply,” he added.
FMD is an infectious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, and buffaloes. — Marron Joshua F. Mendoza
PHL bans imports from 7 countries after FMD outbreak
Philippines Pandemic
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