Convinced that a syndicate is behind rice smuggling in the country, senators want the former head of the National Food Authority (NFA) to answer charges that he “favored” rice importers over domestic farmers as alleged by a disgruntled officer of a rice cooperative.
A lawmaker asked a House committee to investigate the alleged grant of a seven-year tax holiday, tax incentives for importation and other perks to a foreign company that plans to put up hog and poultry farms that local hog industry leaders said would be the last nail on the coffin of the local hog trade.
The controversy over the allegedly smuggled 94,000 bags of Vietnam rice worth P141 million continued to brew after three of the consignees of the National Food Authority denied they ordered the importation while another organization not on the list claimed ownership of part of the shipment.
LEGAZPI CITY—The National Food Authority (NFA) in Albay is now scrambling to secure all the needed documents that will authenticate the shipment of the P112-million Vietnamese rice impounded at the Legazpi port by the Bureau of Customs in Bicol. Legazpi customs collector lawyer Leovigildo Dayoza yesterday said he was compelled to issue a warrant [...]
Local hog and poultry industry leaders have asked Congress to tighten government controls over the importation of offal (innards and low-grade meat parts) by imposing a 35-percent tariff on these products to curb meat smuggling.
A Catholic bishop was peeved over reports by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that “galunggong” was now being imported, saying that the fish would not be scarce if efforts were in place to preserve its breeding grounds.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala remains bullish on the goal that the Philippines would no longer import rice after 2013 despite the threat of extreme weather.
The Bureau of Customs seized two more containers full of red onions from China with an estimated retail value of P2.8 million.
Customs officials yesterday said 1,800 imported second-hand vehicles, which could not be resold to dealers because of a 2007 prohibition, have disappeared from this free port where the cars have been stored for three years now.
Sugar industry players here will still pursue its campaign for the boycott of Coca-Cola Bottling Philippines Inc. despite a commitment of the company to source their sugar requirements locally.
