DA lifts ban on poultry imports from New Zealand after avian flu-free declaration

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the ban on poultry imports from New Zealand, allowing the resumption of shipments of poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.

This decision was made after New Zealand was officially declared free from highly pathogenic avian influenza, a contagious viral disease affecting birds.

The DA's evaluation determined that the risk of contamination from these imports is negligible.

The Philippines saw a 16.5 percent increase in meat imports from January to August this year, reaching 1.06 billion kilograms.

New Zealand's meat exports to the Philippines during the same period amounted to 8.57 million kg, primarily consisting of beef.