DA bans imports of animal meat from 7 countries

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August 10, 2026 | 12:00am

Amid FMD scare

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has banned the importation of animal and meat products from seven countries amid concern over the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the local animal industry.

The DA said that live animal and meat products from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait and Palestine are no longer allowed to enter the country due to the outbreak of FMD in animals there.

“There is a need to prevent the entry of the FMD virus to protect the health of the FMD-susceptible animal population,” the agency said in Department Circular 39.

Shipments of skeletal muscle meat, casings, tallow, hooves and horns are not allowed to enter the Philippines. Also banned are the importation of live swine, bovines and water buffaloes.

The agency ordered the immediate stoppage and confiscation of all product shipments intercepted by veterinary quarantine officers or inspectors at major ports of entry.

The DA said that an outbreak of the FMD virus serotype SAT1 was detected in the seven countries, based on an official report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

The FAO noted that laboratories had confirmed the outbreak, in coordination with the World Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reference laboratory network.

On the other hand, certain processed goods such as ultra-high temperature milk and its derivatives, heat-treated meat products, protein meal (gelatine) and lime hides and pelts are permitted to enter.

Meanwhile, the DA has allowed the entry of FMD-susceptible animal meat products from Greece, following the containment of its outbreak.

In Department Circular 38, the agency announced that WOAH had reinstated the European country’s FMD?free status after it complied with the organization’s requirements under the Terrestrial Code.

Imports of Greek animal products were banned by the Philippine authorities after an outbreak affected domestic sheep in Levos.

Though it does not pose any risk to humans, an outbreak of the FMD virus can severely disrupt the local livestock industry. It affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and buffaloes.