Bird flu import ban seen boosting poultry industry

DAVAO CITY — Import bans on poultry products including dressed and deboned chicken, duck and eggs, following outbreaks of bird flu in Europe and Asia, are expected to benefit the local poultry industry.

“This will be a big boost to the local poultry industry,” Vicente T. Lao, chairman and chief executive off icer of Maharlika Agro-Marine Venture said.

Maharlika is supplying Japan and several Manila restaurants with premium-cut duck meat.

Maharlika, which was established in 2006 exports up to 28 metric tons (MT) of duck suitable for preparation as Peking Duck preparation to Japan every month. It supplies the local market with up to 20MT. The company sources from 3,000 duck breeders every three months for Cherry Valley Farms, Ltd in the United Kingdom. It breeds ducks in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and in the Arakan Valley, at the boundary of Davao City and North Cotabato. The ducks are then processed in facilities in Cagayan de Oro and Davao City cities for the local and export markets.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol ordered the import ban last week to protect the country’s poultry and duck industry.

“During the weekend, I have signed directives specifically identifying the following countries with total ban to export chicken and poultry products and ducks to the Philippines,” Mr. Piñol said.

The Philippines is currently free from bird flu, helping boost the prospects of its poultry products worldwide.

Among the countries that are totally banned from exporting poultry to the Philippines are South Korea, Germany, France and Netherlands. The only countries allowed to export poultry to the country are the United States, Canada and Australia.

“These three countries are exempted from the ban mainly because they never had reported cases of Avian Flu or poultry diseases and also because they have always implemented stringent quarantine measures,” he said.

Despite this, strict quarantine measures will be implemented even for products coming from the three exempted countries.

“The Philippines has never had cases of bird flu mainly because we are isolated by the bodies of water which surround our islands and we do not share borders with other countries,” he said.

Mr. Piñol said the import ban may be a drastic measure but it has to be done to protect the poultry and duck industry and also public health.

“I expect to receive complaints and requests for reconsideration from the countries affected by the ban but I am appealing to our trading partners to understand our position,” he said. —