The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has lifted the temporary ban on poultry imports from the Netherlands after the country was declared free of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
The ban, imposed in December 2024 due to an H5 strain outbreak in Putten, Gelderland, covered domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr lifted the import restriction on June 19, 2025. He cited a negligible risk of transmission following the World Organization for Animal Health’s (WOAH) confirmation that no new outbreaks had occurred in the Netherland since May 16.
The order took immediate effect, aligning with the DA’s efforts to diversify the country’s meat and protein sources amid rising global health threats.
Brazil petitions for import resumption
Meanwhile, Brazil is urging Philippine authorities to lift its ban on Brazilian poultry after the South American country officially declared itself free of HPAI.
On June 18, Brazil submitted a self-declaration to the WOAH, which has since updated the case status to “closed” and released technical documentation supporting the country’s claim.
The Brazilian embassy in Manila said the move followed international protocols and a full technical and administrative assessment. It reiterated its request to Philippine authorities to lift the import ban, given Brazil’s critical role in supplying the bulk of the Philippines’ mechanically deboned meat (MDM), which is used extensively by the processed meat industry.
Global meat partners vital to Philippine supply
Earlier in June, the DA also lifted its ban on poultry imports from Belgium after it reported that the H5N1 outbreak in Sint-Niklaas, Oost-Vlaanderen has been fully contained.
In 2024, chicken imports from the Netherlands and Belgium combined for over 18,645 tons, or 3.9% of the Philippines’ total chicken imports.
In contrast, Brazil is the Philippines’ largest poultry supplier, accounting for half of the country’s chicken imports. In 2024, it shipped over 237,395 tons of chicken meat to the Philippines, most of it MDM, making the Southeast Asian nation of one of Brazil’s top 10 export markets.
The ongoing adjustments to import restrictions are seen as strategic steps to reinforce national food security and stabilize domestic supply chains.