The Department of Agriculture (DA) has suspended the issuance of clearance for the importation of certain fish species for food processors or canners as well as institutional buyers such as hotels and restaurants.

JUST IN: The Department of Agriculture suspends the issuance of import clearance for certain fish species such as roundscad, bonito, mackerel, moonfish, pompano, and tuna to institutional buyers “to prevent diversion to wet markets.” pic.twitter.com/ayzn5M2HkQ

— Ted Cordero (@Ted_Cordero) December 14, 2022
 

In its Administrative Circular No. 11, series of 2022, released December 13, the DA suspended the issuance of import clearances in importing frozen roundscad, bonito, mackerel, moonfish, pompano, and tuna “to prevent diversion to wet markets.”

In suspending the issuance of Sanitary Phytosanitary Import Clearances, the Agriculture department set additional requirements for importers to be allowed to import the said fish species.

For purposes of canning, the DA said the importation of roundscad, bonito, mackerel, moonfish, pompano, and tuna shall be directly undertaken by importers and processors “who supply raw materials to processors with license to operate issued by Philippine FDA compliant to the Food Safety Standard” with verifiable recording system of production.

For institutional buyers, the DA said importation shall be allowed provided that there exists a verifiable recording system, containing the importers the name of importers, species and volume of imported fish and corresponding dates of deliveries.

The department also required a supply agreement, purchase order, or any other proof of contract; delivery receipt; withdrawal records from cold storage; local transport permit; and proof of ownership of cold storage or cold storage warehouse agreement.

The order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in force unless revoked in writing.—LDF, GMA Integrated News