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Friday, March 29, 2024

Customs sets new meat rules

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The Bureau of Customs has adopted a new measure to ensure that only properly documented imported meat are able to get through Customs gates,  Commissioner Alberto Lina said on Thursday.

Lina  said the BoC has come out with various issuances on valuation, which aims to establish and impose uniform reference value on imported poultry, pork and beef products.

The BoC chief said all importations of   poultry, pork and beef products   should first secure clearance from the Office of the Commissioner   prior to their release.

Lina also issued a memorandum requiring examination of all shipments in refrigerated container vans (reefer vans) in the presence of Samahang Industriya sa Agrikultura and Federation of Philippine Industries Inc.

“The BoC is now in the process of procuring reefer facilities to facilitate the inspection requirement as mandated by the Food Security Law and to avoid unnecessary delays and expenses which may be incurred not only by the government but also by the stakeholders,” Lina said.

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The local hog raisers have blamed the unabated smuggling of meat products for their predicament saying that the oversupply and dumping of cheaper imported meat in the local market is killing the country’s hog raising industry. 

The BoC earlier seized more than three million kilograms of frozen meat at the Manila International Container Port abandoned by its importer since January 2015 for lack of import permit.

MICP Auction and Cargo Disposal Division chief Gerry Macatangay said the 147 container vans of meat were consigned to Jcore Enterprises, Lucky Sisters and Lean Pasture Inc., which arrived in separate dates between January and June 2015.

Lina ordered the frozen meat destroyed.

“We would like to make the local hog and poultry raisers understand the measures we have already put in place to contain meat smuggling, especially at this time of the year when attempts to sneak illegally imported meat into the country happen the most,” Lina added.

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