The Department of Agriculture (DA) has filed a formal complaint against JRA and Pearl Enterprises Inc. for illegally importing 25 metric tons of fresh yellow onions from China, violating food safety and plant quarantine regulations. The complaint, lodged with the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office, follows efforts by the DA to protect local farmers and consumers from unfair trade practices and potential health risks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the complaint is part of a broader crackdown on agricultural smugglers, and warned that similar legal actions are forthcoming. The importation occurred without the necessary sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC), a requirement that was suspended for yellow onions from January to August of last year due to concerns over public health and pest control.
The shipment, valued at approximately P2.37 million, was discovered at the Port of Manila-South Harbor in July 2024. Despite the Bureau of Plant Industry’s suspension on issuing import permits, JRA failed to provide an explanation for bypassing the regulation. The legal action reflects the DA’s broader campaign against agricultural smuggling and its implications for the local market, as seen in the government’s recent efforts to combat profiteering and price manipulation in agricultural goods.
This case follows a similar legal filing earlier this month, where the DA took action against Chastity Consumer Goods Trading for misdeclaring onions as processed fish products. Both companies were blacklisted in December as part of the DA’s strategy to stabilize food prices and curb smuggling activities.
