Local farm organizations are calling on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to immediately suspend imports of Indian water buffalo meat (carabeef) from regions affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), citing risks to the Philippine livestock industry.
In a joint statement, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) and the Magsasaka Party List (MPL) voiced alarm over recent findings by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). According to the BAI, FMD is widespread in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Telangana, where several carabeef exporters to the Philippines operate processing plants. The groups also criticized the Indian government for failing to report the outbreaks to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
Despite the BAI recommendation, the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) reportedly inspected foreign meat establishments in the affected regions last October, sparking concerns over the continued importation of potentially contaminated meat. The groups warned that FMD, which primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals like buffalo, cattle, and hogs, could weaken local livestock output, including both meat and milk production.
While acknowledging that suspending imports from Maharashtra and Telangana could affect supply, FFF and MPL argue that local meat processors can still source from other FMD-free regions in India, minimizing disruption to industries reliant on carabeef for products like corned beef and hot dogs.
As of September 2024, India was the sole supplier of buffalo meat to the Philippines, with over 30 million kilograms imported.
