The Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the ban on importing poultry and bird products from Denmark, nearly two years after it was imposed due to an avian flu outbreak.
Through Memorandum Order No. 50 issued on Nov. 12, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced that the import ban had been lifted.
The decision came after the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration confirmed to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) that all cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Denmark had been resolved, with no new outbreaks reported since Sept. 12.
The agency initially implemented the ban in December 2022 to safeguard local poultry farmers and consumers amid the HPAI outbreak in Denmark.
The restrictions covered domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.
While the ban is no longer in effect, Laurel said that all poultry importations from Denmark must adhere strictly to the department’s rules and guidelines for agricultural food imports.
The directive took effect immediately upon issuance, the agency added.