25,000 MT fish import approved

MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has allowed the importation of 25,000 metric tons (MT) of frozen fish and aquatic products, saying it is necessary to curb inflation.

In Memorandum Order 51, Tiu Laurel said 24,000 MT of the total would be allocated to import salmon, squid, tuna, black-cod, gindara, halibut sardines and red snapper. The remaining 1,000 MT would be for small pelagic fishes to be sold under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) program.

“In order to ensure the steady supply of affordable fish and fishery/aquatic products for a food-secure country, taking into consideration public welfare and to support the implementation of KNP, a total volume of 1,000 MT shall be allocated for distribution to the Kadiwa Centers,” Tiu Laurel said.

He noted that the Fisheries and Aquaculture Board of the Philippines presented during the third quarter meeting of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) on Sept. 2 a request for the issuance of a Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) to certain fish and aquatic products to curb inflation, ensure food security and diversify food choices.

“The NFARMC issued Resolution 35 approving and recommending the issuance of a special CNI 25,000 MT of salmon (whole), species of squid that will not compete with local production, tuna (by-products only), black-cod (whole), gindara (whole), and halibut (whole) for the months of September to December 2024,” Tiu Laurel said.

Individuals, corporations, partnerships, registered fisheries associations or cooperatives, with active accreditation as importers of food fish under Fisheries Administrative Order 195 or registered under FAO 259, are qualified to import.

Tiu Laurel said each qualified importer can import an initial volume of 28 MT.

“The remaining volume shall be allocated to the qualified importers on a first come, first serve basis,” he added.

Meanwhile, former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor on Sunday said farmers’ groups should be consulted on the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s plan to import vegetables and fish.

Montemayor, chairman of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF), said in a radio interview that the