FAO 195 prohibits the entry of imported fish into domestic wet markets without a certificate of necessity to import.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Memorandum Order 14 – 2024 on Monday after receiving reports of imported fish for the canning business found their way to the wet markets.
Importing mackerel is allowed as long as these are used for canning and its volume tied to the sale of the product covered by value-added tax (VAT) in 2023, plus 10 percent of the amount.
“They will not lose canned mackerel. What is indicated in our order is that canners can still import the same amount of mackerel but the allowable volume is based on their VAT sales since the problem here is diversion (to wet markets,)” said Tiu Laurel Jr. at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public forum on Thursday.
Tiu Laurel said the various canners should not report a shortage of the fish for canning because the agency based its allowable import limit on their VAT sales the previous year plus 10 percent as added precaution.
“If they imported that amount and they diverted it, they will really have a shortage… I even added 10 percent, meaning technically, they they should be able to import 10 percent more of what they are getting now. I don’t see any reason why they are afraid of a shortage,” Tiu Laurel said in explaining the import limit.
The price of scad caught in local waters ranges from P140 to P300 per kilo in the National Capital Region based on DA data monitoring numbers.
