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The Department of Agriculture has extended anew the validity of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) for imported meat to 90 days from 60 days
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The extension will be in effect from January 25 to December 31, 2022
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has once again temporarily extended the validity of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) for imported meat to 90 days from 60 days due to persistent shipping and logistical difficulties.
The temporary extension is in effect from January 25 to December 31, 2022, according to DA Administrative Order (AO) No. 01-2022.
DA AO 01-2022 was issued because AO 21-2021, which also temporarily extended the validity of SPSIC to 90 days from 60 days in 2021, “has already expired even though the current difficulties remain.”
DA last year said the current COVID-19 pandemic and the contraction in the supply of container vans have presented shipping and other logistical difficulties, prompting stakeholders to request for an extension of the validity of SPSICs.
Since 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered supply chain issues globally, such as container shortage, vessel space unavailability, and port congestion, which have affected Philippine imports and exports.
The Cold Chain Association of the Philippines earlier said they looked forward to the arrival of more import shipments under the government’s minimum access volume plus program. The program temporarily reduced tariff of meat imports, intended to address the African Swine Fever’s impact on pork meat supply and price in the Philippines.
The Bureau of Customs earlier said that from April 7 to December 10, 2021, pork imports reached 214 million kilograms. The agency noted the volume of pork imports started spiking in March 2021 and continuously grew in April to May, but started to drop by June. Volumes recorded an increase in August but declined again starting September.
