The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the government would impose a ban on importing poultry meat from Brazil which was hit by cases of bird flu.

”Well, basically, tinamaan sila ng bird flu (they were hit by bird flu) and as of the moment, wala tayong regionalization agreement with Brazil (we don’t have regionalization agreement with Brazil). So, yes, we will have to ban the whole country from exporting chicken to us,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced during press briefing in Malacanang.

Reports from foreign media said that Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm on Friday.

The report said the outbreak in southern Brazil was identified at a farm supplying Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods (TSN.N).

Tiu Laurel ensured that the Philippines can get poultry meat from other countries as he allayed concerns regarding the supply of chicken.

”As far as supply is concerned, I really don’t see any issue, baka may brief supply gap lang na baka one or two weeks (maybe there’s a brief supply gap of one or two weeks), because they have to change origins. But in general, I don’t see any issue, because even our local poultry industry is medyo maganda ang production eh,” he said.