Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted its temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and related products from New Zealand. In Memorandum Order No. 62 signed by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Thursday, the DA confirmed that the lifting takes effect immediately. This decision follows the World Organisation for Animal Health's declaration that all previous highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in New Zealand have been resolved, with no new outbreaks reported.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DA's evaluation determined that the risk of contamination from importing live poultry, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from New Zealand is negligible. The order specifies that all import transactions covering domestic and wild birds, as well as their products and poultry meat, may "commence again" following the issuance of the order.

Before lifting the import ban on New Zealand, the DA had also permitted the entry of wild and domestic birds from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, and Sweden, as well as poultry products from Kelantan and Sabah in Malaysia.