About P4 million worth of unregistered pesticides and fertilizer products have been seized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its attached agency — the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) — together with the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group–National Capital Region, the DA said in a statement on Sunday.
The enforcement operation stemmed from a formal complaint received by the FPA, implicating the Davao City-based WLEX Co. in the distribution of illegal agricultural inputs, the DA said in the statement.
The agency said products were recovered from an undisclosed commercial establishment being used for unauthorized storage and distribution.
Among the seized items were 641 one-liter bottles of Axonic pesticide; 748 one-liter bottles of Sapphire pesticide; 220 one-liter bottles of Chlonil pesticide; four sacks of Welzeb; and multiple variants of the bio-stimulant Nutrinaro SC broken down to 5,590 sachets of 10 grams, 345 sachets of 50 grams, and 90 sachets of 5 grams.
Authorities also recovered 220 pieces and 800 packs of Norinano Plus 10 grams, along with three containers of unidentified chemical substances.
The brands Axonic, Sapphire, Chlonil, and Welzeb are not registered with the agency and are considered illegal, while WLEX is not licensed to handle pesticide products, according to the FPA in the DA statement.
The agency said that the WLEX once held a valid certification as a fertilizer importer and distributor but its license was valid only until Dec. 7, 2024.
FPA emphasized that only one of the WLEX products, the Norinano Plus Soil Conditioner, remains registered until Feb. 4, 2027.
It added that investigators also found that the products had been repackaged locally and falsely advertised as imported, in an apparent effort to mislead buyers.
“We are serious in our campaign against the proliferation of these adulterated and unregistered products that hurt not only legitimate businesses but our farmers and overall farm productivity… We will remain vigilant to ensure only legitimate products are sold to our farmers,” Glenn DC Estrada, FPA executive director, said.
All confiscated items have been turned over to the DA for safekeeping and legal documentation, while further investigations would be done for the filing of the appropriate charges, the FPA was quoted as saying in the DA statement.
The FPA also urged farmers and agri-suppliers to purchase only from licensed dealers and to verify products’ licenses through the government’s official list.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed support for the law enforcement operations to protect local farmers.
“This action clearly demonstrates the resolve of government agencies to carry out the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect our farmers as well as local businesses against these unfair and illicit trade practices,” Tiu Laurel said.
