Saturday, December 20, 2008 Alert on reefer containers remains
CUSTOMS Commissioner Napoleon Morales said the alert on all refrigerated containers still stands as the importations in the final weeks of the year begins to slow down.
“I have a standing order on that. 100 percent examination for all reefer containers but prior to that, the shipment must be x-rayed before they are transported to the consignee’s cold storage facility,” he said.
Concerned agencies and farmers’ groups witnessed the 100 percent examination on the shipment.
Fruit shipments will not be spared from the bureau’s scrutiny as there are reports that these are being used to conceal illegal importations of vegetables from other countries.
“These fruits also undergo the same process. They are scanned by x-rays and then transported to the cold storage facilities, and then 100 percent examination,” he said.
There were reports of avian influenza in Hong Kong and India, while farmers’ groups from Benguet continue to hound the bureau on the issue of illegal vegetables being sold in Metro Manila markets recently.
The bureau has already acted on the complaints but so far, operations based on the leads provided by the group have yielded negative results. (FP/Sunnex)
