THE Department of Agriculture (DA) had issued a ban on the importation of poultry products from Japan due to an outbreak of avian influenza or bird flu.

According to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. the memorandum was issued and was temporary and included eggs and day-old chicks from Japan.

Laurel has issued a suspension on the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for the inward shipment of wild birds, poultry and poultry products from the East Asian country.

Meanwhile, the DA noted that the wild birds, poultry and poultry products imported from Japan that are already in transit, loaded and accepted on or before November 10, 2023 will be allowed entry to the Philippines.

On the other hand, shipments after November 10 will either be returned to Japan, confiscated, or destroyed.

The Agriculture Department also said that the import ban was made when Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had issued a report of an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza to the World Organization for Animal Health on November 28, 2023.