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The DA recently issued a temporary ban on the importation of pork and pork-based products from Laos and North Korea after the countries have reported cases of ASF. Also, most recently the Department has suspended the entry of meat imports from Germany following a breach in the quarantine protocol for ASF.
Safeguard measures for importing plant-based feed products are also in place as scientific findings show that the disease can be spread through these products.
Apart from Germany, Laos and North Korea, the DA has banned the entry of pork and pork-based products from Belgium, China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa, Zambia, Mongolia, and Vietnam.
Engaging the public, Secretary Manny F. Piñol constantly reminds Filipinos to serve as quarantine officers who can report to authorities information about passengers and tourists who bring in pork and pork-based products from affected or high-risk areas. He encouraged the cooperation of local importers, returning residents, and tourists to comply with the policies enforced.
As early as August of last year, the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) prohibited the use of catering food wastes from international and domestic airports and seaports as swine swill feed and banned the import of pork and its products from six countries.
The DA Secretary also issued a directive for quarantine stations to establish footbaths in all entry points of the country and intercept and confiscate pork-based products.
BAI reported that the swine industry is one of the biggest contributors to the country’s agricultural growth with over 16 percent increase in gross earnings. The entry of ASF or other animal disease into the country could result to great losses in the swine industry and in the agriculture sector.
The ASF is a highly contagious disease causing high fever, loss of appetite, hemorrhages, and death among domestic and wild pigs of all ages
Friday July 5, 2019/ DA/ Philippines.
http://www.da.gov.ph
