The Philippines's poultry exports to Asia are rising strongly this year thanks to its lack of bird flu cases, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Wednesday.
'It's very evident we are taking advantage of it now,' Yap said, remarking that there had been 3.5 million kilograms (7.7 million pounds) worth of poulty exports so far this year compared to 1.5 million kilograms for all of 2004.
'At this rate, we are looking at 10 million kilograms of exports this year to the region,' he told reporters.
To safeguard the industry, Yap said the government had released an additional 53 million pesos (974,200 dollars) 'to be used as the first line of defense' in ensuring that bird flu does not spread to the Philippines.
This would rehabilitate laboratories that would check for bird flu and set up a system under which poultry producers would have to report to provincial agriculture officials if there is 'more than a three percent mortality rate' among a commercial chicken grower, he added.
The Health Department has also prepared procedures to ensure that cases of bird flu can be swiftly addressed to prevent its spread, especially to humans.
The Philippines is also stepping up its confiscation and destruction of poultry smuggled in from countries where bird flu has been detected, particularly China.
There have been no cases of bird flu found in the Philippines but the government has banned the import of poultry and live birds from many Southeast Asian countries as a precautionary measure.
