Philippines bans poultry imports from Argentina after bird flu outbreak

PHILIPPINES – The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) is halting the entry of poultry and related products from Argentina after authorities there confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1).

In a memorandum issued, the DA said imports of poultry meat, eggs, day-old chicks, and semen for breeding will no longer be allowed to enter the country from Argentina.

The restriction follows Argentina’s notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health of an outbreak detected in Buenos Aires province on August 17.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr said the order was being enforced because the H5N1 strain is considered a serious threat to both poultry farms and human health.

He added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had directed the department to ensure food supplies remain stable while also safeguarding public safety.

The order instructed the Bureau of Animal Industry to stop processing applications and to suspend the release of sanitary and phytosanitary permits for any poultry goods sourced from Argentina.

Avian influenza continues to weigh heavily on the Philippine poultry sector, with previous cases leading to mass culling operations that eliminated thousands of birds and cost producers millions of pesos, equivalent to millions of US dollars.

As of September 10, official data shows that outbreaks are still present in eight provinces across four regions, even though Camarines Sur was recently declared free of bird flu.

The DA said it will keep monitoring global reports of avian influenza and adopt precautionary steps to reduce the risk of infections spreading locally.

Trade figures

Statistics from private research firm Trading Economics show that Philippine imports from Argentina across all categories reached US$417 million (₱24.3 billion) in 2024, with poultry accounting for only a small portion.

The data further indicates that meat and edible offal imports from Argentina were valued at about US$3.25 million (₱189 million), while shipments of dairy products, eggs, and honey amounted to US$7.56 million (₱440 million) in the same year.

The DA has not specified how long the restrictions will remain in effect but confirmed that the suspension is immediate and will continue until the situation in Argentina is resolved.

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