Philippines Confiscate Danish Poultry Shipments
PHILIPPINES - Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) quarantine officers and inspectors at all major airports and sea ports in the country to stop and confiscate all incoming shipment of live birds, poultry and poultry products from Denmark.The DA press report disclosed that Secretary Yap issued the ban after the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) or the Animal Health Organization confirmed that low pathogenic Avian Influenza or bird flu has been directed in a poultry farm in Stenstrup, Svendborg Kommune, Southin Denmark which affected geese, chickens, ducks and mallards.
The Philippines also banned imports of birds and poultry and its products from countries, among others, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Poland and the Western African Country of Benin, to protect human health and the poultry industry in the Philippines.
The Agriculture Secretary also directed BAI Director Davino Catbagan to intensify the implementation of the preventive measures in airports and seaports in the cities of Davao and General Santos owing to their proximity to Indonesia, one of Asia's bird-flu infected countries.
The Philippines, Bruenei and Singapore are the only three Avian Influenza-free countries in Asia, the DA press report disclosed. (PIA)