Philippines lifts ban on poultry imports from Russia - industry union

MOSCOW. Sept 17 (Interfax) - The Philippines has lifted a ban on poultry imports from Russia introduced in 2021, the National Union of Poultry Farmers reported, citing the Department of Agriculture of the Philippines.

The department lifted the ban after officially recognizing the regionalization system used in Russia for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). It wrote in a memorandum that Russia had demonstrated that its veterinary supervision and monitoring of HPAI was at a level sufficient to minimize the risks, the union's statement reads.

Russia remains an accredited supplier of poultry meat - namely chicken, duck and turkey - to the Philippines.

As National Meat Association (NMA) head Sergei Yushin has told Interfax, the Philippines is an attractive market for Russian exporters primarily because of its fast-growing population. "It could already reach 120 million people this year. And this is a very young population. Overall, the average Filipino has a low income, but the country's economy is one of the fastest-growing in Asia - over the last four years, its GDP has grown 5%-7% annually," he said.

He said that the Philippines was a major poultry and pork importer, with almost 360,000 tonnes of poultry meat imports in 2024 and further growth expected this year.