Agricultural lobby group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to ban all poultry imports due to the re-emergence of bird flu in neighboring countries.
SINAG said the Philippines should only allow the resumption of poultry imports until the legally mandated first- border inspection of all imported agriculture and food products is fully implemented.
In a statement, SINAG chair Rosendo So said China recorded 21 human infections of the H5N6 subtype of avian influenza while outbreaks in poultry farms in South Korea and Japan as well as in a flock of birds in Norway were also recorded.
“We should have learned from the African swine fever and the COVID-19 (new coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. We saw the importance of properly manning our borders. Shall we wait for bird flu to re-enter and affect again the livelihood of thousands of families relying on the poultry industry?” So added.
Last January, the World Organization for Animal Health declared the Philippines free of the last remaining H5N6 strain of the avian influenza virus after the country’s first recorded case back in August 2017.
SINAG said since 2019, P521 million had been allotted for the establishment of five first- border inspection facilities but not a single one has been completed.
The DA in July said the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority has agreed to establish the country’s first border control facilities at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales.
Negotiations are ongoing for the establishment of a facility at the Philippine Ports Authority compound at the Manila International Container Port.
The other three are eyed to be built in the ports of Batangas, Cebu and Davao.
Each facility will feature temperature-controlled systems that will capacitate quarantine officers to thoroughly inspect the contents of an identified high-risk containerized shipment and prevent the possible spread of hazardous biological agents such as toxins and radioactive elements carried by imported agricultural products.
Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) show 302.22 million kilograms (kg) of chicken meat were imported in the first nine months of the year.
The United States is the top source of imports at 117.93 million kg or 39 percent of the total volume.
None was sourced from China, Japan, South Korea and Norway, the countries of bird flu concern, according to SINAG.
