Philippine lifts import ban on Dutch poultry products

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February 14, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will resume imports of poultry products from the Netherlands after lifting a temporary ban imposed late last year in response to a bird flu outbreak.

The move follows the Philippines’ evaluation of documentary requirements submitted by Dutch veterinary authorities, detailing the public health controls implemented to address high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI).

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Netherlands has maintained sufficient veterinary oversight and put in place the necessary measures to mitigate the risk of HPAI.

These safeguards ensure that the risk of importing live poultry, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from the Netherlands’ identified zones proposed for recognition remains low, he said.

Tiu Laurel stressed that all poultry import transactions should comply with the bilaterally agreed terms and conditions, as well as the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) existing rules and regulations.

The order is set to take effect 15 days after its publication on the DA’s official website and upon its filing with the Office of the National Administrative Register.

Last October, the DA imposed a temporary ban on domestic and wild bird products from the Netherlands to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus and protect the health of the local poultry population.

This came barely six months after the Philippines lifted a similar trade restriction on the western European country.