The Department of Agriculture (DA) has imposed a temporary ban on the importation of all commodities derived from animals susceptible to foot and mouth disease (FMD), including their by-products, from Germany.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued the ban on Monday through Memorandum Order No. 8 series of 2025.
Laurel cited the official report submitted by Katharina Kluge, head of the Directorate of Animal Health and Animal Welfare of Germany, to the World Organization for Animal Health on January 10.
There were cases of FMD virus in Hoppegarten, Markisch-Oderland, Brandenburg, Germany in domestic buffaloes, according to the report.
The DA secretary invoked the need to prevent the entry of the FMD virus and protect the health of vulnerable animals, such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.
Laurel directed the suspension of the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary clearances for the importation of such commodities from Germany.
The ban will cover skeletal muscle meat, casings, tallow, hooves, horns, as well as live swine, bovines and water buffaloes including their semen.
However, Germany-made products such as ultra-high temperature milk and derivatives, heat-treated meat products in a sealed container, protein meal, gelatin, in-vivo derived bovine embryos, limed hides, pickled pelts and semi-processed leather will still be allowed.
The DA said that those disallowed products from Germany may still be exempted from the import ban provided they have been slaughtered on or before Dec. 26, 2024, and tested negative for the FMD virus upon arrival at the port of entry.
Data from the Bureau of Animal Industry showed the Philippines imported 3,150,853 kg of beef from Germany from January to November 2024.
That volume was equivalent to 1.68 percent of the 187,711,101 kg of the total beef imported by the country for the period.
DA’s monitoring of public markets as of Monday showed the prevailing retail price of beef rump at P400 to P510 per kg, and beef brisket at P320 to P460 per kg.
