The Department of Agriculture lifted the ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds, including poultry products, from California and South Dakota.
This after both US states reported no new outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) since early June.
The temporary ban was initially imposed on California in January 2023 and on South Dakota in November 2022 due to confirmed outbreaks of the H5N1 subtype of bird flu.
The strain has caused millions of bird and poultry deaths and can occasionally infect mammals, including humans.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Memorandum Order No. 37 that allowed the importation of wild and domestic birds, including poultry products such as meat, hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and semen for artificial insemination, from areas in California and South Dakota.
These states have not reported new bird flu outbreaks since June and May 2023, respectively.
The poultry sector is a crucial part of Philippine agriculture, contributing approximately 18 percent to farm output and playing a vital role in food security.
The sector posted a 2 percent growth in the first half of 2023, driven mainly by chicken production.
Central Luzon leads in bird inventory with 33.68 million, followed by Calabarzon with 27.32 million, and Northern Mindanao with 25.87 million.
