Press Release
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, as well as poultry products from Minnesota, USA.
The decision follows the resolution of an earlier outbreak of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the state.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order No. 22, permitting the entry into the Philippines of live poultry, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen originating from Minnesota.
The ban was initially imposed to safeguard the local poultry industry, which is crucial to the country’s food security and a significant source of employment and investment.
The DA’s decision to lift the import ban was based on official reports from the United States’ veterinary authorities to the World Organisation for Animal Health, confirming that all reported cases of HPAI in affected counties of Minnesota have been resolved. No additional outbreaks have been reported after Feb. 28.
The US is a major source of poultry products for the Philippines.
The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has reported that in 2024, it shipped to the Philippines 169,226 metric tons of poultry products (except eggs) worth USD194.1 million, up from USD180.5 million in 2023. (PR)
