Agricultural products must be thoroughly inspected to prevent smuggling and the introduction of diseases, an industry group said Sunday as it urged the government to set up “First Border Controls.”
Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said smuggled commodities often slip through the country’s borders without a thorough inspection.
The group’s president, Rosendo So, said all agricultural shipments should be sent to a screening center first, where they will undergo phytosanitary inspection to see if these shipments are contaminated with diseases such as the African swine fever and avian flu.
Last Thursday, more than two tons of white onions were seized at the Zamboanga City Airport Cargo Terminal.
The DENR said the shipment had no legal documents, which is considered a violation of the Plant Quarantine Law.
Bureau of Customs spokesperson Arnaldo dela Torre Jr. said they are still investigating the incident.
On Sunday, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said the administration can achieve safe, nutritious, and affordable food.
It issued the statement on the occasion of World Food Day.
The OPS said the best way to achieve food security is to support farmers and fishers and to care for the environment.
World Food Day is celebrated every year worldwide on Oct. 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945.
In his speech during his participation at the 77th United NationsGeneral Assembly in September, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of investing in food security.
“We need to take concrete steps towards a modern and resilient agriculture. Food is not just a trade commodity nor a livelihood. It is an existential imperative. and a moral one. It is the very basis of human security,” Marcos said.
He said governments must provide innovative solutions and financial support to farmers and fishers to adopt new technologies and connect to national and global value supply chains to attain food security.
Marcos also emphasized the need to protect biodiversity amid the continuing challenge of climate change by enhancing global cooperation.
In June, Marcos declared that he will temporarily assume the post of Agriculture secretary to show that his administration puts “high priority” in the agriculture sector.
The Marcos government is working on increasing the production of rice, corn, and other food products to stabilize prices instead of prioritizing importation.
In September, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 4 imposing a one-year moratorium on the payment and interest of land amortization to help agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the country.
The EO is expected to benefit 654,000 ARBs involving a total of 1.18 million hectares of awarded lands.