THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is investigating suspected smuggling of carrots, broccoli and other highland vegetables following reports that imported produce is hurting sales of Cordillera farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Sunday said he has ordered the DA Inspectorate and Enforcement Office and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to lead the investigation after monitoring teams found imported broccoli being sold alongside local produce in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet.
Authorities have yet to establish whether the vegetables entered the country illegally.
An Oct. 15 report from DA-Cordillera said three stalls at Baguio’s Hangar Market displayed imported broccoli. One had a styrofoam box labeled “Product of China.”
Vendors told monitoring teams that about 50 boxes, costing around P1,250 each, were sourced every other day from a supplier in Santo Cristo, Divisoria. The vegetables were transported on trucks returning from deliveries to Manila and sold at retail for P170 to P250 per kilo.
Tiu Laurel vowed to probe thoroughly and pursue penalties for evidence of violations of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law.
Market facilitators reported difficulty selling locally grown vegetables, with some buyers favoring cheaper imported supplies, according to the report.
DA-Cordillera recommended joint inspections by the enforcement office and BPI at major trading hubs in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon to verify import documents and compliance with plant quarantine and food safety requirements.
It also sought closer coordination with the Departments of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Trade and Industry (DTI), local governments and industry stakeholders to strengthen market monitoring and enforce price tagging and labeling rules.
At a Benguet provincial task force meeting in September, DA-Cordillera discussed its findings and marketing concerns with the DTI, including enforcement of the Consumer Act. It also sought DILG assistance in addressing the reported presence of suspected smuggled produce.
BPI personnel collected broccoli samples for laboratory testing for heavy metals and formalin. The DA said enforcement would be based on verified findings and due process, adding that legally imported vegetables meeting national standards and quarantine requirements could be sold.
DA-Cordillera is also helping farmers find buyers and promoting consumption of locally grown vegetables. Chynna Grace Ong
