The Department of Agriculture (DA) said South Korea has lifted its ban on chicken meat and pet bird imports from the Philippines.
This after the Philippines has complied with two requirements imposed by South Korea: revisision of the veterinary health certificates for chicken meat and pet birds and the renewal of accreditation ng livestock establishments po to be submitted at the end of the month
In January, the World Organization for Animal Health has declared the Philippines free from bird flu.
South Korea, through the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) prohibited the imports of Philippine chicken meat and pet birds in March last year due to the outbreak of H5 avian influenza outbreak in the Philippines.
The Philippine Agriculture Office (PAO) in Seoul said MAFRA issued last July an administrative notice for the removal of the ban effective Aug. 6, 2021, following coordination and submission of requirements from the Philippines’ Bureau of Animal Industry and South Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (AQPA).
However, PAO Seoul said approval of the renewal of accreditation to export chicken meat to South Korea of six livestock establishments in the Philippines is needed before the resumption of exports can happen.
Establishments seeking for renewal of accreditation are Ana’s Breeders Farms slaughterhouse in Davao; Carino And Sons Agri-Dev. Inc.; LDP Farms Food Corp.; Johanna’s Chicken Processing Center Inc. Bounty Fresh Food Inc.; and Integrated Meat And Poultry Processing, Inc.
DA said the National Meat Inspection Service is completing APQA’s inspection questionnaires which are targeted to be submitted by the end of the month.
There is no available data on the volume of chicken being shipped by the Philippines to South Korea.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in an October 2020 report projected South Korea to import as much as 168,000 metric tons (MT) of chicken this year due to steady demand for processed products that can be easily consumed at home and the expected extra demand generated because of the Olympic games.
The USDA in a July 2021 report said the Philippines will produce 1.33 million MT of chicken for the entire 2021. Last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded the country’s total chicken production at 1.8 million MT.
