Misdeclared farm products marked for disposal — DA

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the disposal of over 500 metric tons of misdeclared and smuggled vegetables.

Citing the Bureau of Plant Industry’s (BPI) food safety analyses, the DA said onions and carrots from the haul seized by the Bureau of Customs at the Ports of Manila and Subic were free of harmful contaminants such as E. coli and Salmonella, pesticide residues or heavy metals but “further organoleptic assessment revealed significant deterioration.”

“The onions and carrots showed signs of early sprouting, visible rotting, and foul odors indicating putrefaction,” BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said. 

The 17 containers involved, with an estimated market value of P66 million, arrived at Philippine ports containing undeclared products.

Of the 13 containers intercepted in Subic, 12 contained red and yellow onions, while one held carrots.

Meanwhile, four containers at the Port of Manila contained onions.

“The cargo was shipped from China, and the misdeclaration raises concerns about possible illegal activity and the growing problem of agricultural smuggling in the country,” the DA said.

In Subic, six of the 13 containers loaded with onions were misdeclared as chicken lollipops, while other shipments were falsely labeled as smoked frankfurters or chicken sausage.

The importers involved, including Beaches Consumer Goods Trading, EPCB Consumer Goods Trading, and others, face “severe penalties” for violating import and food safety laws, the DA said.

“These companies will be added to the growing list of importers blacklisted by the DA,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. was quoted as saying.

“Given the significant value of the cargo, some of these importers may be the first to face legal action under the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act.”

Tests are underway on two more containers opened recently and whose contents were mislabeled as chicken poppers “but were actually loaded with Peking duck and chicken breast,” the DA said.

“These containers, consigned to 1024 Consumer Goods Trading, are being examined by the Bureau of Animal Industry,” it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza