By NG Seruela
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday (Sep. 27) assured the investigation of alleged smuggled fresh carrots spotted in some markets in the country.
In today’s Laging Handa public briefing, DA Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said a joint task force will be created and the DA, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Customs (BOC), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will be probing the reports of the fresh carrots especially in Divisoria.
He also emphasized that no fresh vegetables from other countries were given permits since only frozen mixed vegetables and processed vegetables are given permits by the Bureau of Plant Industry.
“Unang-una po, sinasabi natin, wala pong fresh vegetables na binibigyan ng permit mula sa ibang bansa kasama na po ang Tsina. Kasama na po rito iyong fresh carrots. So ang binibigyan lang po ng permit ng Bureau of Plant Industry ay frozen mixed vegetables at processed lang po. Ito po ay para lamang sa mga embassies at hotels.”
“So limitado lang po ito. So, again we are saying na smuggled po iyan, magkakaroon po ng joint task force at imbestigahan po iyan ng DA, DTI, Bureau of Customs [BOC] at BIR iyon pong mga reported presence ng fresh carrots diyan po lalo sa Divisoria,” he said.
Reyes added that the vegetables products with permits can be verified on the Bureau of Plant Industry website.
“So, again, ina-allow po natin ang frozen and processed mixed vegetables, iyong cut na po pero hindi po fresh. Kung fresh po iyan, ibig sabihin smuggled po iyan, illegal,” he stressed.
He explained that importing fresh vegetables is illegal since it is not part of the country’s food safety regulations.
“Bawal po talaga dahil po iyan po ay wala sa ating—iyong food safety regulations. Hindi natin alam kung may peste iyan or may sakit at mayroon pong mga pesticide residue level. So, bawal po ang fresh na pumasok dito sa ating bansa. Kung anupaman, iyan po ay kukumpiskahin at iyan po ay ihahabla po, mayroon po tayong mga batas against ganyan na smuggled po at hindi ina-allow po talaga.” -rir
