DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez. (File photo)
MANILA – The Philippine government is waiting for the responses from Brazil to ensure that their meat exports to the country are safe and free from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said Tuesday.
In a radio interview, Lopez said he had a discussion with Agriculture Secretary William Dar on Tuesday morning on the lifting of the ban on meat imports from Brazil.
“Secretary Dar updated us that they are waiting for the responses from Brazil’s agriculture ministry and the meat company regarding their actions,” he said in Filipino.
He added that the Department of Agriculture (DA) wants to assure that Brazil is implementing the policy of not allowing employees to work if they were found Covid-19 positive as a measure to avoid the coronavirus transmission in the workplace.
“That’s the main issue of DA,” Lopez said.
Last month, DA issued a memorandum order to temporarily ban imported poultry meat from Brazil as a precautionary measure following reports of Chinese authorities that traces of Covid-19 was detected on imported chicken products from the South American nation.
On Monday, Lopez said he submitted a letter to DA asking the lifting of the ban on importation of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) products from Brazil.
This move from the trade chief came after the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) also called on DA to lift the ban on MDM from Brazil to avoid supply shortage and price increase of canned goods.
According to PAMPI, Brazil is the country’s second-largest source of MDM that are used as raw materials for canned meat products. (PNA)
