The Philippine government has removed its ban on poultry imports from New Zealand, marking another rollback in trade restrictions as officials continue to ease measures linked to previous animal disease concerns.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) declared on Monday that it has lifted the temporary import ban on domestic and wild birds, as well as related products, from New Zealand.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel officially removed the ban by signing Memorandum Order (MO) 62 on October 9, replacing MO 1 issued in January due to an outbreak of avian influenza in New Zealand. The new directive also permits the resumption of imports, including domesticated and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, table eggs, and poultry semen used for artificial insemination.
The decision to resume trade follows confirmation from the World Organization for Animal Health that the avian flu outbreak had been contained.
This latest lifting of restrictions comes shortly after the DA reopened the country’s borders to poultry imports from six other regions, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Sweden, and the Malaysian states of Kelantan and Sabah.
The bans, initially implemented due to avian influenza concerns, were lifted after veterinary authorities confirmed there had been no recent outbreaks.
In late September, the DA also approved the resumption of imports from Israel and South Dakota, USA, following improved biosecurity measures and assessments by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), indicating a low risk of infection.
The resumption of the poultry trade also aligns with President Marcos’ recent signing of a new law aimed at strengthening the livestock and poultry industries through a ₱20-billion annual fund designed to enhance competitiveness and improve disease resilience. Known as Republic Act 12308, or the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act, the legislation provides funding to modernize animal production, elevate biosecurity protocols, and assist farmers in adapting to relaxed import controls.
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