DA to destroy at least P34M worth of smuggled onions
The Department of Agriculture (DA) will destroy at least P34.12 million worth of smuggled onions seized earlier this month at the Port of Manila after tests showed they were contaminated with E. coli.
In a statement over the weekend, the agency said laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the bacteria in samples taken from intercepted onions, making those unfit for human consumption.
“The presence of E. coli at borderline indicates possible fecal contamination, often associated with poor sanitary conditions during handling and postharvest practices, and may pose potential health risks if not addressed,” the DA said, quoting the Bureau of Plant Industry’s (BPI) report.
Consignees
On July 1, local authorities from various government agencies confiscated six container vans loaded with the smuggled imported onions and mackerel.
Consignees had declared the shipment that arrived in May as processed foods such as egg noodles, spring rolls and dumplings. However, the cargo from China contained red and white onions as well as frozen mackerel.
Manila-based Latinx Consumer Goods Trading was the consignee for two vans containing onions, while Lexxa Consumer Goods Trading was the consignee for the other four vans, one with yellow onions and three others with mackerel.
Crackdown promise
The DA had also earlier requested the Bureau of Customs to withhold the release of 59 container vans unloaded at the Subic Bay Freeport which were suspected of holding smuggled agricultural goods including onions and fish.
These were consigned to five trading firms, all under review for possible blacklisting. So far, 18 companies were included in the DA’s blacklist.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. vowed to jail smugglers of farm goods by yearend.
“We will definitely go after them, and we need to see those violating our laws in handcuffs by the end of the year,” he said.
