Agri group pushes probe of confiscated imported rice
>> Sunday, May 18, 2014
ROSALES, Pangasinan — The
Samahang Industriyang Agrikultura or SINAG urged the Department of Agriculture
and the Department of Health to conduct a thorough inspection on all the seized
imported rice amid food safety and public health concerns.
Rosendo
So, SINAG Chair, said such tests should cover a wide range of food-borne
hazards including chemical contaminants like toxic and pesticide residues,
heavy metals and possible infestations, considering the months the smuggled
rice had been stored.
“Sa tagal na nakaimbak ang mga bigas na ito,
baka hindi na fit for human consumption, posibleng may mgabukbok na o
maaring nabubulok na. There was a case only two years ago nayung imported rice
after matagal na nakaimbak ay napatunayang hindi na pwedeng kainin,”So added.
He also
asked officials that if the smuggled rice passed the inspection and found fit
for human consumption, they should be sold immediately and only to the
Department of Social Welfare and Development for their continuing relief
efforts in disaster areas.
According
to SINAG, about 2,000 container vans of seized rice amounts to almost 50
million kilos of rice or about five days of residents’ total rice consumption
Meanwhile,
SINAG yesterday lauded the decision of the Supreme Court to junk the petition
filed by traders Joseph Ngo, Danilo Galang and Ivy Souza for the release of some
300,000 bags of alleged smuggled rice earlier seized by the Bureau of Customs.
“This
should finally put an end to all misinformation and blatant lies being peddled
by smugglers to confuse the public so they can get away with their smuggling
activities,” said So.
“This is
now (a) full victory for the local rice industry and a relief to the millions
of rice farmers whose livelihood has been threatened by the rampant smuggling
of rice,” he added.
According
to SINAG, for two cropping seasons, rice farmers have enjoyed unprecedented
good farm gate palay prices, ranging from P22-P23.50/kilo; which the group
attributes to efforts to curb rice smuggling.
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