TO guarantee quick distribution of agricultural products, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is considering a proposal to add requirements for import permits.
The revisions refer to import permits issued by DA agencies, particularly the Bureau of Plant Industry and the Bureau of Animal Industry, the department said on Tuesday, to ensure prompt delivery of food items to warehouses and readily available for market sale.
The DA has yet to specify the exact requirements it plans to introduce, but the agency recognizes the urgency of more efficient logistics to prevent disruption in the supply chain of agricultural products.
The proposal was made following previous reports of delays of rice shipments at some of the country’s ports. Current processes allow imported agricultural products, such as rice, to remain in transit for extended periods.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said delays have contributed to fluctuations in rice prices, affecting both consumers and farmers. He thanked the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Bureau of Customs for mitigating the delays.
The PPA last week said that, out of 888 container vans loaded with food products, including rice, that have been sitting in Manila ports, around 300 have been released through their consignees.
PPA general manager Jay Santiago said he expects more to be out of the ports before the end of the month.
However, DA Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the volume of rice in the overstaying containers is just a small percentage of the 3.09 million metric tons of imported rice and “won’t affect rice prices in the market.”
He pointed out “prices should ease further as the full impact of the recent tariff reduction is felt by January,” echoing Tiu Laurel’s projection that retail prices could start easing by the middle of October due to the slashing of import tariffs to 15 percent from 35 percent starting July 8.
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