FPA issues suspension vs 5 fertilizer firms over violations —DA

The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) has issued preventive suspension orders against five fertilizer companies over alleged violations of fertilizer laws and regulatory policies, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday.

In a news release, the DA said the FPA issued the preventive suspension orders amid concerns over counterfeit products, mislabelling, and unauthorized distribution activities following separate investigations, monitoring operations, and compliance checks involving fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, and product registrants.

The Agriculture Department did not identify the fertilizer firms in question pending final resolution of the cases.

It said that preventive suspension is a precautionary regulatory measure meant to protect farmers, consumers, and the public while investigations and compliance verification remain ongoing.

The DA, however, said involved fertilizer firms and their products will be temporarily removed from the official list of FPA-registered fertilizer handlers and products.

FPA Executive Director Glenn Estrada, for his part, said that among the violations of the firms include refusal to allow lawful inspections by FPA personnel, sale of counterfeit and off-specification fertilizer products, product mislabelling, and unauthorized movement of products already covered by Stop Sale, Stop Use, Stop Move, and Hold (SUMS) orders.

It was also found that some of the firms in question had been participating in government fertilizer procurement and bidding activities, including the Department of Agriculture’s fertilizer subsidy program.

With this, the DA emphasized that only compliant, duly registered, and quality-assured fertilizer products and handlers are allowed to join government-backed agricultural programs benefiting Filipino farmers.

“We cannot allow questionable and non-compliant fertilizer products to undermine our farmers’ productivity and compromise the integrity of government agricultural programs. These enforcement actions send a strong message that the government is serious about protecting Filipino farmers and ensuring accountability across the fertilizer industry,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.

The Agriculture chief added that the DA’s regional officials are now being investigated by Internal Audit Service to look into possible collusion with erring fertilizer firms.

“We must make sure that our personnel in the regions are above reproach,” said Tiu Laurel.

DA urged farmers and stakeholders to buy only FPA-registered fertilizer products from licensed dealers and to report suspicious or counterfeit agricultural inputs to the agency. —VAL, GMA News