DA to blacklist 4 importers of rice, fish and sugar
The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to blacklist four importers for economic sabotage, including a rice, two fish, and a sugar importer. Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. cited instances of under-declaring goods at Batangas port. The DA formed a technical working group to amend the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016, aiming to curb illegal activities harming the industry. Legislative efforts to pass the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act are progressing, pending Bicameral Conference Committee review.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to blacklist at least four importers for committing acts that fall under economic sabotage.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., said one is a rice importer, two are fish importers and another one is a sugar importer.
“In the next few months, I will blacklist a lot of companies…I know what they are doing and we are just getting proof because that’s economic sabotage… Smugglers are destroying the industry by undercutting everybody because of illegal acts,” Tiu Laurel told reporters in a briefing on Wednesday.
Tiu Laurel said the DA recently blacklisted a rice importer found to be under-declaring the volume of goods which entered the port of Batangas.
Last February, the DA formed a Tobacco Economic Sabotage Act meant to assist lawmakers in amending the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016 meant to further protect the country against smuggling of agri goods.
The TWG was tasked to prepare DA’s position and inputs for consideration of lawmakers.
The House of Representatives unanimously passed the Anti Agri-Fishery Commodities and Tobacco Economic Sabotage Act on Sept. 27, 2023 and the Senate also approved a similar proposal voting 18-0 for the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Act last December 11.
The measures are yet to go through Bicameral Conference Committee.
Source Link : https://malaya.com.ph/news_business/da-to-blacklist-4-importers-of-rice-fish-and-sugar/
