Division of Agriculture (DA) brand. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines – The Division of Agriculture (DA) seized roughly P2.8 billion value of smuggled agricultural items in 2024, virtually a billion greater than the 2023 stage, as the federal government intensified efforts to crack down on smuggling that deprives the state of revenues and exposes the general public to potential well being dangers.
In a press release on Friday, the DA stated the haul in 2024 was 51.3 p.c greater than the P1.87 billion value of confiscated agri-fishery merchandise in 2023.
Undervalued imported rice value P1.9 billion accounted for nearly two-thirds of final 12 months’s seizure.
READ: PH rice imports hit file excessive
Except for rice, the DA’s Inspectorate and Enforcement (DAIE) additionally confiscated smuggled fisheries merchandise value P316.4 million.
It carried out a complete of 71 operations in 2024. Of those, 11 inspections performed between Jan. 19 and June 5 led to the invention of over 1,000 metric tons (MT) of undervalued imported rice.
Based on the company, a number of shipments of imported rice totaling 32,825 MT reached the nation through the first 5 months of 2024, resulting in a tax evaluation requiring the fee of P285.3 million in taxes and tariffs.
White onions
Different notable operations embrace the seizure of P115 million value of white onions and P8.4 million value of smuggled cigarettes in Subic in addition to the seizure of contraband Chinese language frozen meals and black rooster value P102.2 million in Santa Maria, Bulacan.
One other P178.5 million value of frozen mackerel was confiscated throughout inspections on the Port of Manila.
These had been finally donated to victims of Storm “Kristine” after laboratory assessments confirmed that they had been protected for human consumption.
“Final 12 months’s operations uncovered regulatory loopholes we have to deal with and procedures that have to be streamlined to stamp out smuggling of agricultural merchandise,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated in a press release.
Tiu Laurel stated the enactment of the Anti-Agricultural Financial Sabotage Act offers the DA with further instruments to fight smuggling, which has undermined the livelihood of farmers and fishers. Smuggled items, nonetheless, proceed to enter the nation.
As of February this 12 months, the DA stated native authorities seized P162.7 million value of unlawful agri-fishery merchandise from numerous entry factors, together with Ninoy Aquino Worldwide Airport, Manila Worldwide Container Port and Subic Bay Worldwide Terminal.
Inspections of chilly storage services in Caloocan, Navotas and Bulacan likewise yielded expired agricultural merchandise and unlabeled packing containers.
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About P6.45 million of meat was confiscated for disposal plus P152,000 value of frozen fish in Batangas Metropolis.
