MANILA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines has lifted its temporary import ban on poultry and related products from Israel and South Dakota in the United States, following the successful containment of recent avian influenza outbreaks in those areas, the country's Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel issued separate administrative orders ending the bans, which previously halted the entry of domestic and wild birds, poultry meat, day-old chicks, hatching eggs, and semen for artificial insemination from the affected regions, the DA said in a press release.

The DA said import bans are a precautionary measure, aimed at protecting the country's livestock and poultry industries, key pillars of Philippine agriculture that drive rural employment, attract investments, and contribute to food security. ■