The Philippines has expanded its temporary importation ban of poultry products to the entirety of the United Kingdom as outbreaks of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continue to spread in the European country.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Memorandum Order (MO) 18 that temporarily banned the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products from the United Kingdom.
Citing England’s reports to the World Organisation for Animal Health, Dar noted that outbreaks of H5N8 in England have continuously spread affecting birds with the latest confirmed case in South Derbyshire.
“The outbreaks have continuously spread to other areas in England such as South Derbyshire, North Dorset, aside from the previously reported Frodsham, Hereford, Leicestershire, Hambleton, Breckland, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk,” Dar said in his MO issued recently.
Dar added that he has previously issued an MO imposing a temporary ban on the importation of poultry products from England due to widespread outbreaks of bird flu.
“Other countries of the United Kingdom such as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already been infected with HPAI, aside from England,” he said. “There is a need to prevent the entry of HPAI virus to protect the health of the local poultry population,” he added.
Dar has instructed the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to immediately suspend the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC) of the banned products.
“All shipments in transit/loaded/accepted unto port before the official communication of this Order to the British authorities shall be allowed provided the products were not sourced from the following areas: whole of England; Scotland-Orkney Islands; Northern Island—Nr Lisburn, Nr Clough and Isle of Anglesey,” Dar said.
The United Kingdom is not a major source of poultry products for the Philippines as the European country only accounted for 4 percent of total imported chicken meat products last year.
BAI data showed that imports of chicken meat products from the United Kingdom last year expanded by 31.62 percent to 15,796.458 metric tons from 12,001.957 MT.
In January, the Philippines imported 1,655 MT of chicken meat products from the United Kingdom, bulk of which are mechanically deboned meat (MDM) at 1,232 MT, a primary raw material in manufacturing processed meat products such as luncheon meat and hot dogs.
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