The Department of Agriculture (DA) has tightened its rules on the importation of frozen galunggong, bonito, mackerel, moonfish, pompano and tuna by-products to prevent their diversion in wet markets.
Under DA Administrative Order 11 series of 2022 signed by Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban and dated Dec. 13, 2022, the importation of said fish species is suspended except if they are directly undertaken by processors and by importers who supply raw materials to processors with license to operate issued by the Food and Drug Administration and compliant to the food safety standards provided under the Food Safety Act and with a verifiable recording system of production.
The issuance also ordered that importers supplying raw materials to processors must pre-identify the species and volume of the products to be imported and the receiving processors as they will not be allowed to be supplied to any other processor.
The DA will only allow importation for new processors only upon verification by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the production capacity of the new processor which shall maintain a verifiable recording system for all its importation.
The order also warned importers allowed to import for processing and institutional buyers will be liable with their client processor or institutional buyer for violation of importation rules and regulations, including diversion of the imported products to wet markets.
DA said accreditation of importers found liable for such violation will be automatically revoked.
