THE Department of Agriculture (DA) announced on Thursday, October 9, that it has lifted the poultry ban on six countries affected by avian influenza outbreaks.
In an advisory, the DA said Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed several memorandum orders clearing the way for the resumption of imports of live birds — domestic and wild, specifically for pet or zoo — from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia (Kelantan and Sabah), Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, and Sweden.
“[A]ll reported cases have since been resolved with no new outbreaks, prompting the government to reopen its borders to these poultry shipments,” the advisory read.
It added: “All import transactions of the above commodities shall be in accordance with existing rules and regulations of the Department of Agriculture.”
Moving forward, the DA said it would continue working to stabilize supply chains amid rising demand and support the country’s growing economy. (GMA Integrated News)
