Though only 7% of the agriculture products entering the Philippines are estimated to be underreported or smuggled, figures from recent years show an alarming rise, according to Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda. | GabrielLaluINQ
The percentage of agricultural products smuggled in was around 1% in 2019, but it increased to 6% in 2020 and 10% in 2021, he pointed out.“So supposed to be, we shouldn’t be concerned about rumors of smuggled onions, meat, CLQ [chicken leg quarter] because, after all, it’s only 7%. So we can let that go. But in this case, since the pandemic [started], agricultural smuggling is suspected to have increased following an increase in underreported agricultural trade,” Salceda said.
But prices of goods, particularly onions, still increased, prompting Salceda to conclude that importers were doing cartelized importation or hoarding items and waiting for prices to rise before releasing them into the market. “Actually, you can buy it for P18.82. The cheapest is actually in Paraguay. In Bangladesh, it is P23.70. This is based on FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization]. So 1,700% is the incentive to smuggle onions. But that would go down,” he said.
create an automatic report system that could detect significant differences in the valuation of the same imported goods in different portsEarlier also, Sultan Kudarat Rep. Horacio Suansing Jr. named several individuals and companies said to be involved in smuggling, asking the committee to subpoena them and the people behind the consignees.
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