Philippines bans pork imports from Sweden

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it banned swine and pork products from Sweden, following reports of an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in that country.

In a memorandum order signed by Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban, the DA imposed a temporary ban on shipments of domestic and wild pigs and their products and by-products including meat, pig skin, and semen.

“There is a need for regulatory controls through sanitary and phytosanitary measures to protect human and animal health,” according to the memorandum.

The DA said that it would immediately suspend the processing, evaluation, and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances for the affected products.

It added that all shipments en route before the ban will be allowed to enter provided that the animals were slaughtered before Aug. 6.

The memo also authorized the confiscation of all such shipments by the DA’s Veterinary Quarantine Officers and Inspectors at all major ports.

The outbreak of ASF was initially detected in a wild boar in Fagersta, Sweden. The finding was confirmed by the Swedish National Veterinary Institute on Sept. 6 and submitted to the World Organisation for Animal Health.

“Sweden is an accredited country to export swine related commodities to the Philippines and there is a need to prevent the entry of any ASF-susceptible products originating from Sweden that might enter through hand carried products from international vessels or any other possible routes,” it said. — Adrian H. Halili