PH bans foot-and-mouth disease susceptible animals from Türkiye

The Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has banned the importation of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) susceptible animals and their by-products from Türkiye.

In his Memorandum Order No. 42, series of 2024, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued the temporary ban after Türkiye’s government reported to the World Organization for Animal Health on September 13, 2024 an outbreak of FM in Cugun, Merkez, Kirsehir affecting domestic cattle which occurred last September 9, 2024.

"We're imposing an import ban to mitigate the risk of FMD transmission to our local animal population," said Laurel.

FMD primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and deers.

Under the MO 42, the DA chief ordered the following:

• Banning the importation of FMD-susceptible animals, their products, and by-products 
• Immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance to FMD-susceptible commodities
• All shipments coming from Republic of Türkiye that are in transit/loaded/accepted unto port before the official communication of this order shall be allowed provided that the products were slaughtered or produced on or before August 26, 2024

The DA chief said it will maintain the import ban until the agency assesses that the local animal population is no longer at risk from FMD. 

—Ted Cordero/ VAL, GMA Integrated News