Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 18) — Agricultural group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) on Thursday said the country’s farmers suffered nearly ₱30 billion worth of losses due to agricultural smuggling since last year.
“Sa rice, nakita natin almost, last year, mga ₱10 billion. Sa pork and chicken, umaabot din ng ₱6-7 billion, at sa sibuyas ay almost ₱3-4 billion,” SINAG chairperson Rosendo So said in a Senate hearing.
[Translation: In our rice, we saw ₱10 billion last year. With pork and chicken, losses reached ₱6-7 billion, and with onions, the losses incurred were almost ₱3-4 billion.]
\”So ayan yung kinoncentrate namin, yung four commodities. Of course, malaki pa yung sa ibang commodities,\” he added.
[Translation: So we concentrated on those four commodities. Of course, there are also huge losses in other commodities.]
The agricultural group believes the Bureau of Customs should be blamed for the smuggling scheme.
\”Sa tingin natin ay may kasabwat sa Bureau of Customs dahil hindi naman makakalabas ito nang walang kasama,\” So said.
[Translation: We believe someone in the Bureau of Customs is in cahoots with smugglers because the goods will not be just released easily.]
But the bureau said officers who could be involved in smuggling are those assigned in ports.
\”Kung mayroon man po sa amin, magsisimula po ‘yan sa mga puerto namin. Doon po kasi pinoproseso yung mga shipments na ‘yan,\” said BOC spokesperson Vincent Maronilla.
[Translation: If there are any among us, they could be from our ports. Because the processing of shipments is being done there.]
The BOC also noted that at least four people involved in smuggling of agricultural commodities have been detained.
Moreover, BOC intelligence group chief Richard Rebong pointed out that the agency has seized around ₱2.7 billion worth of agricultural products both through port seizures and letter of authority.
