Due to highly pathogenic avian influenza or bird flu outbreaks, importation of poultry products from Japan is put to an indefinite ban, the Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday.

This proactive action is taken to protect the country’s poultry population from the highly contagious bird flu virus, said Agriculture Chief Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

Included in the ban are poultry products such as eggs, day-old chicks, and wild birds.

The agency halted the processing and evaluation of applications and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for Japan’s inward shipment of the said commodities.

The DA further noted that meat imports that were loaded, in transit, or accepted on or before 10 November will be allowed entry into the country.

Shipments later than the said date shall be seized or returned to Japan.

The import ban was imposed after Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries reported to the World Organization for Animal Health an HPAI outbreak on 28 November last year.

Their report stated that there was an H5N1 strain outbreak on wild and domesticated birds in Kashima City, Saga Prefecture, last 24 November.

Importation of poultry products, including wild and domesticated birds from California, Ohio, Belgium, and France, is also currently restricted due to the bird flu outbreak.