DA sets deadline for validation of import permits

The

Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that it is giving importers of agriculture products until December 31 to have their sanitary phytosanitary (SPS) clearances or import permits revalidated.

Failure to do so would mean the cancellation of importers’ SPS clearances, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said in a statement.

“About 7,000 SPS clearances of the more than 19,000 issued by the DA in the previous administration remain unvalidated,” Piñol said.

In line with its efforts to weed out unscrupulous traders from legitimate importers, he said the agency has already processed 12,000 SPS permits after the drive to minimize technical smuggling of agricultural products took effect on November 22.

“We now have a clearer picture of the situation. Because of this campaign, we were able to weed out the fake clearances used by unscrupulous importers,” Piñol said.

He said the technical working group he created to handle the review and validation of existing import permits was overwhelmed by the volume of SPS clearances they need to validate.

He added that due to the volume, the system of inter-commerce slowed down and system error occurred, while different regulatory bodies encountered various problems.

Citing reports, Piñol said some importers were able to bring out shipments without validating their import permits.

Furthermore, Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Ariel T. Cayanan said the agency will create a database of blacklisted companies after the DA conducts the revalidation of SPS clearances.

“We have to do this to protect the interest of the government,” Cayanan said.

The DA released on November 22 Memorandum Circular (MC) 5, which authorized the review of the validity of all sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances to curb smuggling.

MC 5 also ordered the creation of a group that would inspect all inbound shipments of agricultural goods and food before the BOC evaluates the tariffs for these shipments.

Piñol had assured consumers that the price and supply of goods will be stable despite the more stringent trade measures his agency has implement ed.