Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced a temporary import ban on poultry products from the Netherlands to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Philippines. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed the move, citing a recent outbreak in the European nation as the reason for this decision.

According to Philippines News Agency, the ban is enforced under Memorandum Order No. 68, which suspends the processing and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) by the Bureau of the Animal Industry (BAI) for poultry products. The ban covers wild and domestic birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen used for artificial insemination of breeders. However, shipments already in transit, loaded, or accepted at ports before the order took effect are exempt, provided they were slaughtered or produced on or before September 22.

All shipments arriving after the ban, excluding heat-treated products, will be confiscated. Dutch veterinary authorities reported an outbreak of the H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) on October 8, with the outbreak occurring among domestic birds in Aa en Hunze, Drenthe, on October 6. The previous ban on the Netherlands was lifted in May after an earlier import halt in December last year due to a similar bird flu outbreak.