The Department of Agriculture (DA) has declared the province of Cotabato free from the dreaded avian influenza.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. bared the decision on Wednesday, noting six cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza subtype H5N1 in ducks in the municipalities of Mlang, Tulunan and Carmen only last year.
He said continued disease monitoring and surveillance of affected farms confirmed the absence of influenza type A virus for more than 90 days.
Earlier, the DA also declared Camarines Sur, Davao del Sur, Rizal, South Cotabato, Ilocos Sur, Batangas, Capiz, Quezon Province, Aurora, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan as avian influenza free.
In 2022, Cotabato produced 7,690.54 metric tons (MT) of chicken or 0.41 percent of the 1.87 million MT the industry produced during the period and 1,044.86 MT of duck or 3.9 percent of the 26,250.52 MT total duck produced in the Philippines.
Cotabato also produced 2,590.24 MT of chicken egg or 0.37 percent of the 708,499.62 MT of eggs produced as well as 757.43 MT or 1.36 percent of the country’s total duck eggs production last year of 55,635.05 MT.
Bureau of Animal Industry data also show that as of 3 November, seven regions, 13 provinces, 71 municipalities and 160 barangays have been plagued by avian influenza.
But the BAI emphasized only Central Luzon, particularly Tarlac City and Candaba in Pampanga still have bird flu cases affecting ducks in two barangays.
