PH lifts birds, poultry import ban from Argentina, Romania, Turkey

The Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has lifted the ban on importing wild and domestic birds from Argentina, Romania, and Turkey.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DA said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. issued separate memorandum orders authorizing the resumption of importation from the three countries “following the containment of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in those regions.”

Tiu Laurel, in lifting the import ban, cited the absence of new outbreaks and official clearance from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). 

The DA said the temporary import ban had been put in place as a precaution to protect the country’s local poultry industry from the spread of bird flu.

The Agriculture Department said the decision to lift the import ban was based on risk assessments conducted by the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).

In issuing the orders, Tiu Laurel said BAI’s assessment of the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, live birds, day-old chicks, and poultry semen from the three countries is now considered “negligible.” 

The DA said that lifting the ban is a move seen as both strategic and necessary, with poultry playing a critical role in ensuring national food security—and contributing significantly to employment and agribusiness—reopening safe import channels is essential for stabilizing supply and keeping prices in check.

Diversifying import sources also buffers the country against future supply shocks, especially as global food chains remain vulnerable to disease outbreaks and geopolitical tensions, according to the Agriculture Department. 

The DA added that the move underscores a balancing act—protecting local producers while ensuring Filipino consumers continue to have access to affordable, safe, and sufficient poultry products. —VAL, GMA Integrated News