Italian producers can now export processed pork meat to the Philippines, after the Department of Agriculture (DA) has deemed them compliant with Manila’s food- safety rules.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala issued Administrative Circular 10 granting the system accreditation to the government of Italy to export processed pork meat products to the Philippines.
“After thorough evaluation, the application of the government of Italy for system accreditation to export processed pork meat products to the Philippines has been found satisfactory and acceptable,” the circular read.
The accreditation is pursuant to Administrative Order (AO) 16, series of 2006, or the “Pre-Border Measures for the Export of Meat and Meat Products to the Philippines.”
The AO provides all the procedures and guidelines in the accreditation of foreign meat establishments producing meat and meat products for export to the country.
According to the circular, representative meat establishments from Italy were inspected and audited by the DA, and were found to have complied with the Philippine quarantine and meat-inspection systems procedures.
The exporting country also met the requirements provided in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE).
The accreditation will be valid until May 25, 2019, given full compliance to existing rules and regulations on the importation of processed pork meat from Italy.
Meanwhile, two meat establishments from Italy have also received accreditation as exporters of frozen pork meat into the country.
In a separate circular, Alcala authorized Agricola Tre Valli Coop and Pini Italy SRL as recognized exporters of frozen pork meat to the Philippines. The meat establishments satisfied all the standards and requirements as stated in the Philippine quarantine and meat-inspection systems procedures, as well as the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE.
Both traders’ accreditation is also valid until May 25, 2019.
