BOC condemns big shipment of vegetables from China

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) condemned yesterday as unfit for human consumption a shipment of 34 40-footer container vans of vegetables from China.

Customs authorities said the shipment was seized by the bureau after it arrived at the Port of Manila without an import permit from the Department of Agriculture.

The government has banned the importation of vegetables as a matter of policy to protect the local vegetable growers, who have complained that they are losing heavily due to the influx of imported vegetables.

Prior to the ban, imported vegetables from China which flooded the local market, had been sold cheaper than the local farmers into marginal existence.

To monitor effectively shipments of imported vegetables in compliance with the government’s existing ban, representatives from various farmers’ groups are assigned at the Customs zones to see to it that they are seized and condemned upon arrival.

Earlier, the bureau condemned 48 40-footer container vans of similar shipment, and were torched and dumped in a landfill in Tondo to prevent diversion to the local market.

The Department of Agriculture said all shipments of imported vegetables should be seized by the bureau as they do not issue any import permit for such kind of importations in compliance with the government policy.

Customs official Fidel Villanueva said the condemned shipment of vegetables will be dumped in a landfill in Montalban. – Rey Arquiza