The Philippines has ordered a temporary halt on pig and pork imports from Spain after an African Swine Fever outbreak was confirmed in the European country, the Department of Agriculture said Sunday.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the ban covers live pigs, pork meat, skin and semen used for artificial insemination. He said the move will not affect supply or raise prices during the Christmas season.
“Cold storage is full,” Tiu Laurel told reporters, noting inventories are more than enough to meet holiday demand.
Spain’s veterinary authorities reported ASF cases among wild pigs in Sabadell, Valles Occidental in Barcelona to the World Organization for Animal Health on Nov. 28.
Tiu Laurel said the moratorium is aimed at keeping the virus out of the country and protecting domestic herds. All sanitary and phytosanitary permits for hog shipments from Spain have been revoked.
Only frozen pork produced on or before Nov. 11 and shipped, in transit or accepted at port on or before Dec. 4 will be allowed entry. Shipments produced after Nov. 11 will be returned to Spain.