DAF ban on shipment of chicken, ducks, eggs from Luzon lifted

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) today lifted the ban on the transport of poultry and poultry products from Luzon to other parts of the country following a report from its bio-security experts that the Avian Influenza cases in San Luis, Pampanga and in San Isidro and Jaen towns in Nueva Ecija have been contained in a seven-kilometer radius.Earlier today, I signed an Administrative Circular which allowed among others the shipment of dressed chicken, fresh table eggs, cooked duck eggs (balut), day-old chicks, game fowls and others provided these are covered by veterinary certificates issued after tests are conducted by bio-security personnel.Shipment of fowls, poultry and poultry products coming from inside the 7-kilometer radius of San Luis, Pampanga and the towns of Jaen and San Isidro in Nueva Ecija will not be allowed.All shipments must be covered by health certificates and quarantine clearances and Quarantine Stations in all airports and ports of the country are directed not to allow passage to poultry and poultry products without the necessary clearances.The announcement of the lifting of the ban was made after a consultation with stakeholders of the poultry and egg industry in the Agriculture Department Central Office this morning.The stakeholders forum was facilitated by the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries through the poultry and livestock sectoral led by Dr. Rufina Salas.The decision to lift the 11-day-old ban which was declared on Aug. 11 following the confirmation of the presence of Avian Influenza virus in farms in San Luis, Pampanga came following the recommendations made by the Avian Influenza Task Force which handled the containment of the problem in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.Dr. Enrico Garzon, assistant secretary for livestock and acting director of the Bureau of Animal Industry, and Dr. Arlene Vytiaco reported that cleaning up operations in San Luis town have been completed while the culling operations in Nueva Ecija are almost complete.With strict quarantine procedures implemented in the 1-kilometer and 7-kilometer radius of the areas affected, the AI Task Force said the problem has been contained in the three towns.The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) was also instructed today to make rounds of the outlets of poultry and poultry products and post signages certifying that all those sold in the market are safe to eat.The Administrative Circular will be sent out to the different Quarantine Stations all over the country and shipment from Luzon could immediately start as soon as the shippers could submit the needed health certificates and veterinary clearances.