The Department of Agriculture has ordered a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs, pork products, and by-products from Germany.
The ban was imposed after a case of African Swine Fever (ASF) was confirmed in Schenkendöbern, Spree-Neiße, Brandenburg.
According to the statement released by DA, the ASF in Germany has been affecting wild boar as confirmed by Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (National laboratory).
The confirmation of the case 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 of Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Berlin, Germany to World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on September 10.
Agriculture secretary William Dar 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,” the agriculture department said.
