Benguet farmers hit influx of Korean strawberries in Cebu

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has been urged to explain why Korean strawberries are flooding the markets in Cebu.

Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative manager Agot Balanoy said this is contrary to what the BPI claimed in a previous Senate hearing that the strawberries were for the Korean community.

Balanoy said the Korean strawberries are also being sold in high-end markets or malls.

She said the National Plant Quarantine Services Division of the BPI issued a permit to the strawberry importer on Nov. 20, valid until Nov. 20, 2024.

Balanoy said the permit was for the import of ornamental plants.

She said that Korean strawberries are never considered as ornamental plants.

“This is a misdeclaration, which is a form of smuggling,” Balanoy said.

Citing the Philippine-Korea trade agreement, Balanoy said strawberries are not among the products allowed to enter the Philippines.

She said the issuance of a permit to the importer of the Korean strawberries circumvents the law to accommodate the Koreans.

Balanoy said the local farmers noticed that some of the high-end markets and pop-up stores in Cebu have stopped ordering strawberries from Benguet.

She warned that this would result in huge income losses to farmers.

Balanoy cited the plight of the Benguet vegetable farmers and traders with the entry of smuggled vegetables and fruits in the country.

She urged the government to recall or cancel the permit of the Korean strawberry importer to protect local farmers and the industry.