The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday ordered all importers, distributors and retail outlets to immediately recall all pork products imported from countries affected by African Swine Fever (ASF) virus which has largely spread to Philippines’ neighboring countries, particularly China.
All processed pork products from ASF-hit countries will be immediately seized from Philippine markets to prevent the entry of the highly contagious hemorrhagic disease in the country, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol earlier said.
“Food business operators importing, distributing, offering for sale and/or donating the banned products, shall be prosecuted for violation of the FDA Act of 2000, the Food Safety Act of 2013, and other relevant laws, rules and regulation on food safety,” FDA said in its advisory dated May 27.
In a separate advisory, FDA also reiterated the temporary ban on the importation, distribution and sale of all processed pork meat products from ASF-affected countries namely China, Hungary,
Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.
With the fast spread of the dreaded ASF, the FDA also expanded the said ban to countries including Vietnam, Zambia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Mongolia, Moldova and Belgium.
Piñol said erring tourists will be penalized with a fine of not less than P200,000. He also called the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for help. “We are appealing to you (OFWs) to help spread the information on the the strict prohibition of sending canned goods, especially those which are coming from ASF-affected countries like China, Hong Kong, Cambodia and parts of Europe,” Piñol added.
The agriculture chief also noted that the DA was already drafting the list of ASF high-risk countries, or those near countries struck by the ASF.
On Monday, the DA, along with local hog raisers, announced its plan to appeal to the Office of the President a two-month suspension on the importation of meat and meat products from ASF high-risk countries.
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