In response to the registration of highly pathogenic avian influenza in
the Philippines, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
(MoCCaE) has banned the import of all kinds of live domestic and wild
birds, and poultry from the country.
In a statement issued on
Monday, Dr Majid Sultan Al Qasimi, director of Animal Health and
Development Department, noted that the ban also extends to ornamental
birds, hatching eggs and their thermally-not-treated waste.
Additionally,
imports of poultry meat and thermally-not-treated products and eggs
from the affected province of Pampanga are prohibited. Thermally treated
poultry products and poultry waste from the Philippines, however, are
allowed. Similarly, imports from before July 3 remain allowed.
The
law also applies to all stages of the food chain from the primary
production through the processing and until it reaches the consumer.
The
ministry is constantly working on developing the necessary policies,
strategies, and legislations to ensure food safety throughout the food
chain and regulating trade activities to enhance food security. It also
supports the national economy by regulating food handling activities
including import, export, and re-export.
According to the
statement, when a shipment of food products is received by the
authorities in the country, the documents accompanying the consignments,
such as the certificate of origin, health certificate and other
required certificates such as the Halal certificate, are strictly
verified.
The authorities also screen the product identification
cards to make sure it complies with the UAE standards and examine
samples of the food products through necessary laboratory tests to
ensure that the food products are free from harmful substances or
contaminants.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/uae-restricts-import-of-eggs-from-philippines