Reacting to reports that corn growers have been calling on the Department of Agriculture to stop the alleged proliferation of adulterated fertilizer in various provinces nationwide, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) said that it has already acted and continue to take initiatives to address these concerns.
FPA Executive Director Norlito Gicana said the agency has already initiated actions against those suspected of adulterating fertilizers.
These actions, he said, led to the arrest of spouses Edgar and Merlyn Calledo in Davao as well as two Taiwanese nationals in Pampanga and the subsequent filing of cases against them.
The FPA said that P37 million worth of suspected adulterated farm inputs were confiscated during the raid in Pampanga.
The apprehensions were made in cooperation with the Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police.
“Seven other distributors of farm inputs were issued warrants of arrests, and two of the parties are now facing cases in courts for various violations including against the intellectual property code among others,” Gicana said.
“The actions we initiated in cooperation with the PNP, DOJ and the NBI showed that the FPA is not sitting on this matter,” he stressed.
Just recently, the Philippine Maize Federation (PhilMaize) called on the DA to stop the alleged adulteration and underweighing of fertilizer bags in various provinces.
In a letter dated July 4 addressed to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Philmaize said the proliferation of adulterated fertilizers defeats the hard work of farmers.
The group asked the DA to create a task force through the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority to monitor the fertilizer industry and make sure that charges would be filed against unscrupulous traders.
PhilMaize had also asked the DA to delist and ban unscrupulous fertilizer dealers and manufacturers from doing business.
Meanwhile, the FPA official assured that the agency is taking various initiatives to address the problem.
Gicana said that he had also asked the Department of Agrarian Reform to advise all agrarian reform beneficiaries to purchase farm inputs only from distributors who are licensed by the agency.
Furthermore, Gicana said he had also wrote a letter to PhilMaize President Roger Navarro dated July 22, 2013 detailing to him the actions made by the FPA on the matter and asking the organization to give him additional names and information of those allegedly involved in adulterating fertilizers.
Up to now, the FPA official said that they are still waiting on PhilMaize to furnish them additional names and addresses of distributors and importers of farm inputs who are allegedly into adulterating fertilizers.
“We are acting on the matter, but we also need the cooperation of the private sector by reporting to FPA those involved in adulterating fertilizers so that appropriate actions can be done,” Gicana said. (PNA)
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