AGRICULTURE Secretary William Dar has ordered a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild pigs, pork products, and by-products from Germany following reports of the confirmation of the first case of African Swine Fever (ASF) in said country.
In a memorandum order, the outbreak of ASF was reported in Schenkendöbern, Spree-Neiße, Brasndenburg, 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 Sept. 10, 2020.
Aside from the temporary ban, Dar also orderd the 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.
The DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) veterinary quarantine officers will be confiscating all shipments of pigs, pork, and pork products from Germany into the Philippines at all major ports of entry.
