Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI), the biggest and oldest association of feed millers in the country, stood by the Department of Agriculture's (DA) decision to keep the import ban on Brazilian poultry products.
In a statement, PAFMI President Nicole Sarmiento-Garcia said the threat of Brazil to take the Philippines to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for banning the importation of Brazilian poultry meat is uncalled for.
"PAFMI believes that Agriculture Secretary William Dar acted in the interest of the Filipino people in maintaining the ban, which was imposed due to reports that SARS-COVID2 particles were detected in samples of Brazilian meat exported to China," Garcia said.
PAFMI also called on consumers and industries to support the DA's move in the "face of the very strong lobby from the Brazilian Embassy."
"Every Filipino should support the DA for its courageous stand against a powerful country's strong arm tactics," she further said.
Brazil is currently the world's biggest exporter of meat and poultry products.
PAFMI, on the other hand, has some 34 members including San Miguel Bmeg Feeds, Philippine Foremost Milling Corporation, Universal Robina Corporation, General Milling Corporation, Pilmico Foods Corporation, Unahco, among others.