GERMAN PORK IMPORTS BANNED

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs, pork products, and by-products from Germany.

The ban was imposed after the confirmation of the first case of African Swine Fever (ASF) in Schenkendöbern, Spree-Neiße, Brandenburg, affecting wild boar, as confirmed by Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (National laboratory).

This was based on the official report submitted by Dr. Dietrich Rassow — director for animal health and animal welfare, chief veterinary officer, Directorate of Animal Health and Animal Welfare, Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Berlin, Germany — to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on September 10, 2020.

Aside from the temporary ban, Agriculture Secretary William Dar has also issued an immediate suspension of the processing and evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance to domestic and wild pigs, pork products, and by-products from Germany.

Hence, all shipments of pigs, pork, and pork products from Germany into the Philippines will be confiscated by all DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) veterinary quarantine officers at all major ports of entry. 

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