Philippines lifts import ban on California, South Dakota poultry products

MANILA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The Philippines has lifted its ban on importing domesticated and wild birds, including poultry products, from California and South Dakota, Manila's farm ministry said on Saturday.

The two U.S. states have reported any outbreaks of bird flu since early June, the ministry said in a statement.

The Philippines imposed the temporary ban on California in January and on South Dakota in November last year after confirmed outbreaks of H5N1 subtype of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has killed millions of infected birds and poultry.

(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by William Mallard)

((.morales@thomsonreuters.com))