The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has revalidated 15,281 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPS-IC) since November 23, 2016, when it implemented more stringent guidelines for importing farm commodities.
Of the total validated SPS-ICs, 603 were already tagged used and may be recycled by the permit holders, according to Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Ariel T. Cayanan.
“It’s possible that these [SPS-ICs] would be recycled, but we already caught them so they cannot do that anymore,” Cayanan told BusinessMirror.
Based on DA records, Cayanan said around 1,484 SPS-ICs issued before November 23 have yet to be revalidated, but permit holders opted not to reapply for new import permits.
“Maybe because they don’t want to use them anymore, but then again, there could be other reasons,” Cayanan said.
Last November 22 Memorandum Circular 5 (MC 5), which authorized the DA on the basis of the Food Safety Act of 2013 to revalidate—and not revoke—all SPS-ICs issued before November 22, was signed.
Under the MC 5, the DA would create two technical working groups (TWGs): SPS Inspection Group and SPS Monitoring and Evaluation Group.
The SPS Inspection Group will be responsible for conducting a mandatory inspection of all inbound shipments prior to the assessment for tariffication of the concerned Bureau of Customs (BOC) personnel. The measure seeks to avoid the misdeclaration of goods.
Meanwhile, the SPS Monitoring and Evaluation Group will spearhead the “revalidation” process of all SPS-ICs in the country, which would be done manually. All affected importers will present their SPS-ICs physically to the TWG in the DA central office that would validate and authenticate the permits manually.
Last November 29 the DA released a memorandum instructing the facilitation of the release of highly perishable items.
The perishable items covered by the memo are live items, chilled items, dairy products and fresh fruits; vegetable and flowers, except onions and garlic; hatching eggs; live plants and orchids; and veterinary products and nutritional products.
“Importers issued with SPS import permits covering said items/products may directly process their documents at the respective quarantine offices of the port,” the memo read.
“Validation of SPS import clearance shall be done directly at the Quarantine Office at the port of entry by authorized DA officers under the SPS technical working group,” it added.
Last December 21 the DA released a memorandum setting the deadline for the revalidation of SPS-ICs on December 31, 2016.
As for the application of new SPS-ICs, importers would still apply online.
The online application will be reviewed by the Bureaus of Animal Industry and Plant Industry, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Meat Inspection Service.
Once approved by the DA chief, the SPS-IC will be returned to the concerned regulatory agency where the importers would get their respective permits.
Image credits: AP