Iloilo City allows entry of egg products, extends ban on poultry animals

Transport of egg products will now be allowed in Iloilo City, but entry of poultry animals remains prohibited amid threats of the highly contagious bird flu virus.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas issued executive order (EO) No. 52 on Tuesday lifting the ban on the entry of egg products in the metro.

Under the said EO, transport of table eggs, salted eggs, quail eggs, and embryonated eggs or “balut” will now be allowed subject to the strict compliance of additional risk mitigation measures.

“Transports/movement of table eggs, salted eggs, quail eggs, and embryonated eggs from Mainland Luzon and affected cities/municipalities in Mindanao to Iloilo City may be allowed, provided that risk mitigation measures are applied,” the EO said.

Before loading for shipment, the vehicle which shall store and transport the balut must undergo ultraviolet light disinfection at the port of departure. A Veterinary Quarantine Officer will issue certification that the vehicle has undergone ultraviolet light disinfection

Prior to departure, the shipper/trader must clean the embryonated eggs at the source farm with acetic acid/vinegar, a 1:10 dilution or any food grade disinfectant.

Moreover, embryonated eggs/balut must be immediately cooked upon arriving at the destination.

“The City Veterinary Office and BAI Veterinary Quarantine Station (VQS) Regional Veterinary Quarantine Office will monitor compliance of the shipper/trader. Table egs, salted eggs, quail eggs, and embryonated eggs must be transported in new or appropriately sanitized containers or egg trays.”

While the city government allowed the entry of egg products in the metro after a month-long ban, entry of live poultry animals remains prohibited as a countermeasure against the bird flu.

The EO extended the ban on poultry animals for an additional period of 30 days.

Hence, entry of live birds, including ducks, quails, and poultry for slaughter purposes, originating from Mainland Luzon and affected cities/municipalities of Mindanao will not be allowed.

Transport of pigeons for racing, flying, training, breeding, and other related activities originating from mainland Luzon and affected cities/municipalities of Mindanao and those which have travelled thereto and intending to return to Iloilo City shall likewise be prohibited.

The ban also covers the live ducks originating from Luzon and affected cities and municipalities of Mindanao for the purpose of grazing.

Meanwhile, the EO also provided for exceptions to allow entry of day-old chicks, day-old pullets, and hatching eggs to replenish the supply in the metro.

However, suppliers will still be required to submit laboratory requirements prior to their departure.

For day-old chicks including day-old broilers for meat production, day-old pullets for egg-production, and day-old breeders for breeder stock production (GP/PS), negative AI test results will be required from its source farm should be presented. Test results should be valid for a period of 28 days from the date of sample collection.

Meanwhile, for hatching eggs (HE), negative AI tests results from its source farm should be presented with test results that must be for a period of 14 days from the date of sample collection

Negative AI test results from its source farm must also be presented for ready to lay (RTL) pullets. The test results must be valid for a period of seven days from the date of sample collection.

Treñas in a previous media interview has revealed that poultry farmers and egg-suppliers were already reeling from the one month ban on the supply of poultry and egg products in the metro. Hence, there is a need to lift the ban.

“Gabatyag na subong ang industry kay gamay na gasulod, mga one-day old chick gamay lang gasulod, importante ina para sa aton mga food commodities kag para sa aton publiko,” he said.

Poultry meat from mainland Luzon and affected cities/municipalities in Mindanao to Iloilo City remain unhampered but the shipment is still required to secure a Meat Inspection Certificate for domestic meat products or Certificate of Meat Inspection (COMI) for imported meat products.

Meanwhile, the City Veterinary Office and BAI Veterinary Quarantine Station (VQS) Regional Veterinary Quarantine Office shall continue its inspection on arriving shipments, disinfection of the shipment with food grade disinfectant, and strict implementation of quarantine inspections at all ports of entry in Iloilo City. (DG)