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Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Task force reactivated to monitor veggie smuggling
DUE TO the unabated entry of foreign agricultural commodities, which reportedly affects the prices of high value crops at the La Trinidad vegetable trading post, the local version of the anti-smuggling task force was reactivated.
La Trinidad Mayor Nestor Fongwan said the Benguet Vegetable Council, during its meeting, approved the reactivation of the anti-smuggling task force to monitor the entry of foreign commodities.
"It was observed that there are times when the prices of high value crops at the trading post decline and this is attributed to the entry of imported vegetables," Fongwan said.
The task force was organized several years back in response to the entry of smuggled crops and the unabated importation of vegetables, which had been hurting the local vegetable sector.
"Smuggling has become legal (via) the issuance by concerned agencies of importation permits despite the fact that this is not allowed pending the preparation of Pest Risk Analysis which is a requirement before vegetables are allowed into our country," said Fongwan.
Recently, he said permits covering some 29,179,221 kilos of fresh vegetables were allegedly issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA). The vegetables were shipped through the South Port and Manila International Container Port, records showed.
This recent disclosure, the mayor said, is alarming considering that only the Bureau of Plant Industry could issue import permits. "This act is questionable because the DA does not have the mandate to sign import permits."
Fongwan said records of the imported commodities are being reconciled at the moment to determine the actual volume that had infiltrated the local markets. (Jane Cadalig)
(September 6, 2006 issue)
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