The United Kingdom (UK) marked a milestone in its agricultural trade with the Philippines as its poultry imports return to local markets after a three-year ban.

This, after the Department of Agriculture (DA) signed Memorandum Order No. 34 in August, allowing the entrance of domestic and wild birds, along with their products, from the UK.

"I am here to reaffirm the UK's commitment to the highest safety standards in agriculture, to celebrate with all of you the return of UK poultry to the Philippines after three years, and indeed to celebrate the growth of this industry, which is key to nutritional outcomes in the Philippines,” British Ambassador Laure Beaufils said Tuesday at a networking reception at her residence in Makati City. 

In March 2021,  the importation of live poultry, poultry products, and by-products, including day-old chicks and hatching eggs originating from the UK, was temporarily banned due to a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. 

In May, the DA recognized the regionalization of the UK’s poultry imports to the Philippines.

Under this arrangement, trading with HPAI-free areas of the UK will continue under strict health protocols, while farms, hatcheries, and slaughterhouses in affected districts remain ineligible to export.

Beaufils said the regionalization is "really significant" as it reflects the "strong relationship" between the DA and the UK  Department for Food and Rural Affairs, built on trust, science, and data.

“So much of what we do in this space is around science and data. So much is driven by that evidence. We had the UK's chief vet officer here in the Philippines last year, and that was also a demonstration that we're really serious about presenting steady poultry UK exports."

Sky is the limit

Beaufils noted that the first step is for importers to re-establish connections with UK poultry suppliers.

“We've lost three years, sadly. So, I think importers and traders have, first and foremost, to get reappointed with the UK market and with UK suppliers and recognize the opportunity that is presented to them, the quality of our products, the quality of our goods, and, of course, the incredibly strong standards that we have,”  Beaufils said.

“Once they do, I think the sky's the limit because they'll be importing large quantities,” she added, noting that the resumption of the poultry trade would not only be beneficial for both countries' agri-sectors, as well as livelihoods and nutrition in the country. 

“Poultry was, in the past, our second-largest export to the Philippines. The sky's the limit. I mean, why not become the first sometime in the years to come?” the envoy added.

The UK exported over 35 million kilograms of poultry to the Philippines from 2018 to 2022.

In 2023, bilateral trade relations reached an all-time high of £2.8 billion, with UK meat becoming the second-most exported commodity at £37.2 million, according to Beaufils.