The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced the resumption of poultry and other bird product imports from designated areas in the United Kingdom that are officially recognized as free from avian influenza. This decision comes after thorough evaluation of the UK’s veterinary controls and disease mitigation protocols, deemed sufficient to minimize risks related to avian flu contamination.
Recognition of Regionalization Scheme
The DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry has formalized this decision through Department Circular No. 17, which endorses the UK’s regionalization approach. This scheme permits the import of live birds, including both poultry and non-poultry species, day-old chicks, hatching eggs, and poultry meat, provided they originate from regions certified free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
Targeted Import Restrictions
Regionalization enables countries to avoid blanket bans during disease outbreaks by restricting regulations to infected zones only. This flexible measure is intended to safeguard the domestic poultry sector while ensuring uninterrupted access to safe poultry products from unaffected regions abroad.
Enhancing Food Security and Safety
According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr., this approach not only secures a steady supply of poultry products but also upholds stringent safeguards essential for public health. All imported goods will continue to adhere to established veterinary and food safety standards as well as agreed import conditions between the Philippines and the UK.
The DA reiterated that while imports would resume from avian flu-free UK zones, all products will remain subject to existing regulatory oversight to maintain consumer safety and industry protection.
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