The Philippines is resuming imports of pork and pork by-products from Germany after nearly seven years of restrictions. The decision was confirmed by the country’s Department of Agriculture in a letter dated April 22, 2026.
A key factor was the official recognition of the ASF regionalization principle, which allows trade to continue even when the disease is present in specific regions of the exporting country. As a result, the import ban introduced in 2019 has been lifted.
The reopening of the Philippine market is the result of lengthy negotiations involving the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, which lasted several years. For German producers, this creates important export opportunities, given the strong demand for imported pork in Asian markets.
The import ban had been imposed following ASF outbreaks in the European Union and later directly in Germany in 2020. As a result, several countries outside the EU restricted imports of German pork and pork products.
The resumption of trade reflects the gradual adoption of internationally recognized approaches to managing epizootic risks and may serve as a positive signal for expanding exports from other European countries.
PigUA.info, based on materials from pig333.com