Onion growers urge BOC to stop unabated smuggling

Manila, Philippines -  Onion growers are pressing the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to recognize the problem and to act on the unabated illegal entry of onions which is hurting the local industry.

Francisco Collado, president of the Sibuyas ng Pilipinas Ating Alagaan, Inc. (SIPAG), told reporters that the BOC must admit that smuggling is taking place as imported onions are being sold in the market even if the agriculture department has not issued import permits.

He said the agriculture department has not issued for the past two years import permits for red onions, while permits to ship in white onions have not been released for six months.

But while the agriculture department has not been issuing permits to bring in onions from overseas, imported red and white onions are still being sold in the markets.

“(BOC Commissioner Rufino) Biazon has turned a blind eye on the issue and refused to recognize the fact that rampant smuggling of onions is happening under his watch,” Collado said.

He noted that a total 15 to 20 40-foot containers of red and white onions are illegally entering the country each week.

Each container, he said, contains 2,500 tons of onions.