Philippines bans poultry products from 2 U.S. states

MANILA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has banned the imports of domesticated and wild birds, including poultry meat and eggs, from the U.S. states of California and Ohio, the country's Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the move was due to the outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the two areas.

"The rapid spread of the HPAI H5N1 strain in the United States since the first laboratory detection necessitates a wider coverage of the trade restriction to prevent the entry of HPAI virus and protect the health of the local population," Laurel said.

Laurel ordered the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance of the commodities originating from California and Ohio.

"All shipments from California and Ohio that are already in transit, loaded, or accepted at Philippine ports before the official communication of the order to American authorities shall be allowed, provided that the products were slaughtered or produced 14 days before the first outbreak in the particular locality," Laurel said.

"Poultry and poultry products imported to the country from the states of California and Ohio after Nov. 14, 2023, and Nov. 21, 2023, respectively, shall be seized and destroyed by the DA or returned to the country of origin," the official said.

The DA said the United States is the second-biggest supplier of imported poultry and poultry products to the Philippines, accounting for about 40 percent of the total poultry meat arrivals.

On Jan. 9, the Philippines banned poultry products and domestic and wild birds from Belgium and France after the two European countries reported bird flu outbreaks.