MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a temporary prohibition on the importation of animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD):The Department of Agriculture (DA) has issued a temporary prohibition on the importation of animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), as well as their products and by-products from the Republic of Trkiye. This decision comes in response to a recent FMD outbreak detected in cattle within the region of Cugun, Merkez, Kirsehir on September 9.
According to Philippines News Agency, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. enacted Memorandum Order 42 on October 4, aimed at curtailing the potential spread of the FMD virus into the country. Secretary Laurel emphasized the critical nature of this preventive measure, stating, “We’re imposing an import ban to mitigate the risk of FMD transmission to our local animal population.”
The memorandum specifies immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clear
ances for the affected commodities. Additionally, the order stipulates that all shipments originating from Trkiye that are either in transit or have been accepted at ports will be permitted entry, provided the animals were slaughtered or the goods were produced on or before August 26. This measure seeks to ensure that only FMD-free products enter the Philippine market, thereby safeguarding the local agricultural sector.