The Samahang Industriya sa Agrikultura (SINAG) is asking the Department of Agriculture to temporarily ban all poultry imports as the resurgence of bird flu in Europe and Asia may endanger the local poultry industry.
SINAG said this should be done until such time that the DA has implemented its mandate for a border inspection on all imported agriculture and food products as it would only take a matter of time for bird flu to reach the Philippines.
Several countries have already reported severe outbreaks of bird flu, particularly in Europe and Asia. China, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands and France have all reported outbreaks.
The Department of Agriculture has so far only imposed a temporary ban on poultry imports from the Netherlands.
SINAG chairman Rosendo So said by now, the Philippines should have learned its lessons from the damage caused by the African swine fever, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We should have seen how important it is to guard those coming into the country. Are we still going to wait before the bird flu enters again and wreak havoc to our poultry growers?”, So said.
The highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N6 was detected in March 2020 and was officially eradicated in January this year.
So argued that the Philippines is the only country that is not applying the global standard of quarantine inspection at the port of first entry of any imported food commodity. He adds the DA has been prioritizing unlimited importation instead of strengthening border control versus communicable diseases that may affect humans and livestock.
The country’s experience with ASF that has been ravaging the hog industry for more than two years, driving up prices and holding back the growth of the agriculture sector; should be enough to spur the DA into heightened alert against potential outbreaks that can affect the country. The impact on Filipinos would be unimaginable if the poultry industry gets hit with another round of bird flu while we are still struggling with ASF.
What is being done to prevent such a catastrophe from happening?*
