Wednesday, September 12, 2007 NFA seeks clearance in transporting rice
THE National Food Authority (NFA) is requiring clearance in transporting rice and its by-products by sea so it can monitor the position and movement of food stocks while forestalling illegal trade.
NFA assistant manager Ramon Cangrejo, during the Arena-Southern Mindanao Forum aired over dxRP Radyo ng Bayan, said the requirement is based on a letter circular that also penalizes shippers who fail to comply with the requirements with fine and imprisonment and the seizure of their stocks.
Sea transport is not limited to vessels, boats, barges, and other watercraft. It can also be a full container load of rice stocks loaded on trucks onboard ferryboats.
Unless amended, the circular states that application for a shipping clearance is a must and should be made five days prior to loading.The clearance itself is good for 15 days from date of issuance. It is issued on a per shipment transaction basis.The NFA ruling requires both shipper and consignee to be duly licensed by NFA as wholesaler or transporter.
In case the rice to be shipped is imported, the shipper or transporter should be a licensed NFA importer with an active NFA import permit.If the transporter is not a direct importer and just occupied stocks from another wholesaler or importer, he should possess documentary evidence--such as invoices issued by the importer and the corresponding NFA permits.Absence of these documents would be ground for seizure and detention and eventual confiscation of the stocks by NFA or other enforcement agencies like the Bureau of Customs.
Before the issuance of clearance, stocks will be inspected by authorized NFA personnel to ensure they are complying with quality packaging and labeling standards.
Unless amended, violation of the circular can lead to imprisonment of six months to one year or a fine of at least 1,000 pesos or both, depending on the court.
