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MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture wants the Bureau of Customs to help prevent the influx of undervalued meat products by tightening inspection procedures at the country's ports of entry.
Customs "must authorize and empower quarantine personnel of the DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to reject the inspection and clearance of imported goods that are found undervalued or if the declared value is lower than the reference price,” Alcala said in a letter to Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.
The Department of Finance supervises Customs.
Under existing guidelines, quarantine documentation, inspection and clearance release procedures are conducted only after Customs has completed its processing and collection of duties and taxes.
In countries like Australia, however, collection of duties and taxes is done only after the shipment passed quarantine procedures.
Alcala said BAI personnel should be given authority to reject applications and requests for Veterinary Quarantine Clearance (VQC), unless importers show proof of correct payment of duties and taxes of previous importation.
“If the commodities will not pass quarantine inspection, Customs personnel will no longer need to charge taxes because we will no longer allow them to exit the port,” Alcala said.
“This will ensure a fair playing field and competition in the local hog industry,” he said.
The agriculture chief also asked that Customs impose a $2.102 reference price for each kilo of carcasses and half carcasses, $2.12 a kilo for hams, shoulder and pork cuts with bones, and $2.97 for prime pork cuts.
Local poultry and pork producers have complained of technical smuggling, blaming the surge in undervalued meat products on corruption at the country's ports of entry.
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