PH lifts ban on Japan poultry
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order No. 36, which lifted the import ban imposed by the DA in November 2024, which also covered poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen. .
Tiu Laurel's decision came after Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries submitted a report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), which confirmed that all previously reported highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases had been resolved as of June 13, with no new outbreaks since.
He said that, in accordance with WOAH guidelines and 'our own risk assessment, we have determined that Japan is bird flu free the likelihood of bird flu contamination from imports originating in Japan is negligible.'
The Agriculture chief explained that the earlier import ban on Japan poultry was enacted as a precautionary measure to safeguard the local poultry industry.
With the lifting of the ban, all import transactions involving poultry products from Japan must comply with the DA's existing sanitary and phytosanitary regulations and import protocols.
The decision is expected to help stabilize poultry supply chains and offer local businesses greater sourcing flexibility, especially amid tight global commodity markets, according to Tiu Laurel.
The latest order takes immediate effect and will remain in force until amended or formally revoked. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
18 hours ago
- GMA Network
US trade deal will boost food PH supply, cut prices — DA
Locally-produced agricultural goods such as rice, corn, sugar, chicken, fish, and pork will be protected in the ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States, according to the Department of Agriculture on Sunday. 'Secretary Frederick Go and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque have assured us that the top priority for Philippine trade negotiators is protecting our local producers,' said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. in a statement said. Earlier, President Donald Trump had announced that the Philippines has agreed to a 19 percent tariff on its exports to the US, while granting duty-free access to American goods entering the country. However, Malacañang clarified that a final trade agreement is still being finalized by trade negotiators. According to the DA, Go, Special Assistant to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for Investment and Economic Affairs, 'assured the Philippines has not made any concessions that would harm local producers. His remarks come amid growing concern over the potential impact of a tariff deal on key Philippine industries.' 'Secretary Go has maintained that any trade agreement must strike a balance between improving market access and safeguarding the livelihoods of Filipino workers and farmers,' the DA said. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
2 days ago
- GMA Network
DA sees no price increase in rice despite storms, Habagat
The Department of Agriculture (DA) does not expect a retail price increase in rice, even with the agricultural damage caused by tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, as well as the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat). 'Sa bigas hindi natin nakikita na magkakaroon ng pagtaas dahil hindi naman ganoon karami ang nasira at marami tayong stocks sa ngayon,' DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday. (We don't see a price increase in rice because not that much has been damaged and we have plenty of stocks right now.) 'Karamihan, partially damaged at early vegetative stage pa lamang, ibig sabihin madaling marekober ang mga tinamaan sa sektor ng palayan,' de Mesa said. (Most are partially damaged and still in the early vegetative stage, meaning those affected in the rice sector can easily recover.) The DA-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center reported that the damage in rice, corn, cassava, high-value crops, fisheries, livestock and poultry, and agricultural infrastructure has ballooned to P1.12 billion with a volume of production loss at 26,566 metric tons (MT). The weather disturbances affected 45,408 farmers and fisherfolk and 43,741 hectares of agricultural areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen. Rice is the most affected commodity, with the value of production loss standing at P664.36 million. It was followed by fisheries with losses amounting to P202.35 million, high-value crops at P162.16 million, corn at P55.70 million, livestock and poultry at P8.37 million, and cassava at P1.98 million. However, de Mesa said vegetable and fish prices may increase by '10% to 15%.'' Metro Manila will likely be most affected by the price increase, if it happens, he said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
3 days ago
- GMA Network
P20/kilo rice, farm to market roads remain work in progress
In his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the hardships confronting the Filipinos due to the rising prices of food. "The hard lesson of this last year has made it very clear that whatever current data proudly bannering our country as among the best-performing in Asia, means nothing to a Filipino, who is confronted by the price of rice at 45 to 65 pesos per kilo," Marcos had said in his report to the nation last year. Back then, the price of rice per kilo was far from the P20 per kilo he had promised the Filipinos when he campaigned for the presidency in 2022. But the efforts of Marcos, who sat as Agriculture secretary from July 2022 to November 2023, could not be ignored to achieve his P20 per kilo rice goal. The government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has been consistently opening Kadiwa stores that sell rice at P20 per kilo. Marcos also vowed to prioritize enhancing local production to address the high food cost and build the necessary infrastructure to prop up agricultural productivity and assist farmers. He had said in his SONA that a total of 1,200 kilometers of farm-to-market roads all over the country will be completed. Further, Marcos said over 9,300 farm equipment would be distributed and more than 80,000 hectares of land would be irrigated. The projects remain in the works. In his visit to Balingasag, Misamis Oriental in April 2025, Marcos reported that in Region X (Northern Mindanao), the government was able to construct almost 70 kilometers of farm-to-market roads. "Sa buong bansa, umabot na sa 1,162 kilometro ang naitayo nating mga daan, at higit 865 linyang-metro naman ng tulay," he said. Since his presidency, Marcos said 36,000 pieces of machinery and agricultural equipment had been distributed to farmers' cooperatives and associations for post-harvest. While under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, 12,000 pieces of machinery and equipment had been provided from July 2022 up to March 2025. A month before Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address, the Economy and Development (ED) Council, formerly known as the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) Board, approved the P27.7-billion Farm-to-Market Bridges Development Program of the Department of Agriculture. Under the program, the DA said it aims for the construction of 300 climate-resilient modular steel bridges across 52 provinces in 15 regions. 'By improving physical connectivity in farming and fishing communities, the Farm-to-Market Bridges Development Program addresses persistent infrastructure gaps that limit market access, increase post-harvest losses, and hinder rural productivity," said ED Council vice chairperson and Economics Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. "It also aims to uplift rural incomes and improve food logistics, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,' Balisacan added. The Agriculture Department also reported that it had completed over 450 agri-infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads, fish ports, and food storage facilities. Further, agriculture insurance now protects more than 1.3 million farmers, livestock raisers, and fishers. 'Through the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, aligned yields have improved from 3.3 to 4.2 metric pounds per hectare, with the first quarter yields again at 4.09 metric pounds. We are also expanding value-chain innovation,' said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a speech, as delivered by Agriculture Director Karen Roscom in a summit in Manila. Benefits A number of farmers expressed relief with the administration's efforts, saying that farm-to-market roads are a long-awaited solution. 'Mahalaga para sana may madaanan kami at mayroon kaming mapagbiladan ng palay namin,' said Robert Lopez, a rice farmer in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, in a report by GMA Regional TV. (It is vital so that we can have paved roads for our goods and an area for drying palay.) Approved by the DA, the local government in Mangaldan and the barangay, a farm-to-market road is set to connect Barangays Guilig, Malabago, and Bari. Initial groundwork, such as soil filling, has already begun. Guilig Councilman Louie Prestoza said the project, which is estimated to reach P3 million, will make it more convenient for farmers to transport their goods and will serve as an alternate route for public and private vehicles in the area. 'Hindi lang kami dito ang mabebenepisyuhan. Marami, kahit na taga-ibang lugar,' Prestoza said. (It is not just us here who will benefit. Many more residents, even from other places.) P20 per kilo of rice Marcos' campaign promise of P20 per kilo of rice has been initially implemented in the Visayas region, and is set to be rolled out across the country in the coming months. The second phase of the program commenced this July in the Mindanao region. Marcos said it took time for him to fulfill his promise because the government needs to assist the local farmers first, including the provision of machinery. The P20 per kilo rice initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program only allows members of vulnerable sectors—including indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents to buy NFA rice at P20 per kilogram. Moreover, it can also be availed by minimum wage earners. Marcos expressed confidence that his administration could sustain its implementation. Increasing prices of goods With the price of some goods increasing, Marcos said the government is also monitoring "price gouging" in the consumer market. "Iyon lamang binabantayan natin ngayon 'yung price gouging. Dahil ang dami ko nang nakita nagtataas ng presyo, hindi naman tumaas ang presyo ng langis. So, iyon ang babantayan natin ngayon. That's what we are going to watch," he said. (We're monitoring the price gouging. Because I've seen a lot of price hikes even though fuel prices have not increased. So that's what we will monitor right now. That's what we are going to watch.) Farmers However, the progressive group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that farmers and fisherfolk remain waiting for the fulfilment of the President's SONA promises. KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos lamented that majority of the Filipino farmers do not own the land they till, and continue to lose it due to land conversion. He also said the people in other areas of the country await the affordable rice promised by Marcos. Ramos said they also continue to long for the day when the country would be rice self-sufficient and would no longer need to buy imported rice.—LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
