-
The government has approved the importation of 25,000 metric tons of frozen small pelagic fish for wet markets
-
DA Memorandum Order No. 17 series of 2024 signed on April 23 provides guidelines on the issuance of the shipments’ Certificate of Necessity to Import for the period covering October 1 to December 31, 2024
-
The sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance under CNI 25, 000 mt will be issued on September 1, 2024 until November 30, 2024
-
The fish imports must arrive no later than January 15, 2025
The government has allowed the importation of 25,000 metric tons of frozen small pelagic fish for wet markets.
Department of Agriculture (DA) Memorandum Order (MO) No. 17 series of 2024 signed on April 23 provides guidelines on the issuance of the shipments’ Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) for the period of October 1 to December 31, 2024.
MO 17 is pursuant to Fisheries Administrative Order No. 259, which provides guidelines for the importation of frozen fish and fishery/aquatic products for wet markets during closed and off-fishing seasons or during calamities.
RELATED READ: Marcos orders streamlining of agri import procedures
The sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance under CNI 25,000 mt will be issued on September 1, 2024 until November 30, 2024 and the fish to be imported must arrive no later than January 15, 2025.
Under MO No. 17, the maximum importable volume (MIV) under a CNI will be allocated to registered importers based on the following:
- For registered importers belonging to the commercial fishing sector, 80% of the MIV will be allocated based on the fish landings of each of the commercial fishing operators with valid commercial fishing vessel and gear license, those who have contributed to the production for the last three years, and have actively participated during the last importation period. For the volume of landings outside Philippine Fisheries Development Authority ports, only 20% of such volume will be credited for the computation of the allocation.
- For fisheries associations/cooperatives, 20% of the MIV will be based on their performance, taking into consideration the percentage arrival of fish imported from the immediately preceding importation period. Moreover, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will assess the financial capacity of the importer under this category. Only fisheries associations and cooperatives affected by the closed fishing season and have the financial capacity to import will be qualified to participate in this importation period.
For importers belonging to the commercial fishing sector, 80% of the MIV will be distributed through an initial volume of 112 MT, equivalent to four containers to qualified importers while the remaining volume will be distributed proportionately based on their percentage share from the total volume of fish landings for the past three years immediately preceding an importation period.
For fisheries associations/ cooperatives, the 20% volume will be allocated based on their percentage arrival from the immediately preceding importation period.
An initial volume of 56 MT, equivalent to two containers, will be distributed to all qualified associations/ cooperatives in this importation period. The remaining volume will be distributed to importers proportionately based on their percentage share from the total arrivals of imported fish under FAO 259 by association/ cooperatives from the immediately preceding importation period.
