Administrative Order No.2 Series of 2020 on Strengthened Guidelines in Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Production and Importation of Onion and Garlic

Republic of the Philippines Department of Agriculture OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Elliptical Road, Diliman Quezon City, i 100 Philippines January 3, 2020 ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 02., Series of 2020 SUBJECT STRENGTHENED GUIDELINES IN MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF LOCAL PRODUCTION AND IMPORTATION OF ONION (Allium cepa) AND GARLIC (Allium sativum) WHEREAS, alliums are important cash crops in the Philippines widely used as spices and are common ingredients of most Filipino dishes and used by industries engaged in the manufacture of processed food products. [1,21 WHEREAS, for 2018-2019 cropping season, local production of onion reached 208,4-48.6 MT for red and 31,866.66 MT for yellow; while importation of yellow onion was recorded at 11,483.27 MT;l3.41 WHEREAS, for 2018-2019 cropping season, local production of garlic reached 11,750.87 MT; while importation '7vas recorded at 71,048.58 MT (arrival}; l3,4l WHEREAS, these commodities have been regulated by the Bureau of Plant Industry to prevent entry of pests and diseases and ensure food safety; WHEREAS, these commodities have always been a major part of the Filipino diet, thus making the monitoring and evaluation of its local production, importation, food safety and pricing paramount. In the exigency of service and for the strengthening of the monitoring, evaluation, and the functions of the Bureau of Plant Industry, this order is hereby promulgated. Agencies respo~1sible for the monitoring and evaluation of local production and importation of allium: 1. Department of Agriculture - Office of the Secretary /Policy and Planning p Establish institutional policy including governance and transparency in determining the following: • volume requirement for allium (garlic and onion - both for red creole and yellow granex) based on 5-year historical profile on actual imports plus local production; • Planning, coordination, provision for support and incentives to intensify local supply production (aligning it with farmers' transition to high value crops as per Rice Tariffica tion Law) ~ 'Lopez, E.L. and Arrit. E.A (1994) ALLJUM PRODUCTION IN THE PHJUPPJNES. Acla 1-h>rtic. 358, 61 -70 OCH: !0. I 7660/Ac1al-lortic. !994358.8 h!tps:i/dni.org./10.17660.ActuHortic.1994.358.8 'Department of Agricll!turn- Hig.h Value Crop De-wJ(lpm~nl Program (DA-HVCDP) ' DA Rl'Os nnd Terminal Reports ofLClUs 'BPl- AJ!it1m Monitoring. Teum b. Define and operationalize medium to long-term strategy to ensure supply availability and create market opportunities for local farmers to transition to high value commodities and present this to stakeholders. Ensure participation of organized farmers' group from the major onion and garlic-producing provinces; local government units of concerned provinces, BPI accredited importers, PHILFOODEX, DARFO heads and focal persons, DA-f-IVC, AMAS, ACPC, BPI, PASUC/concerned sues. c. Ensure that support system and funding are available through cost-sharing at national and local levels. 2. Bureau of Plant Indust1y (BP!) - The BPI shall regularly monitor, evaluate and provide technical support to the local production of allium through its Crop Research and Production Support Division (CRPSD) ie traceability and technical support to ensure reliability of planting materials. The BPI shall also be proactive in managing the pests of allium by surveying and assessing pest and disease risks in allium production areas through its Crop Pest Management Division (CPMD). [t shall also ensure the food safety compliance of local and imported allium through the Plant Product Safety Services'Division (PPSSD) and be vigilant in the prevention of entry and spread of pests and diseases through the National Plant Quarantine Services Division (NPQSD). The existing BPI Allium Monitoring Team (BPI-AMT) shall continue its functions and initiate closer collaboration with DA agencies and non-DA organizations related to the allium industry. 3. DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS) - AMAS shall lead in the idei1tification, information dissemination and updating of allium supply and demand for domestic markets including institutional buyers; regular Price advisories in all major public and private markets throughout the Philippines; and market intelligence and. surveillance. 4·. DA Information and Communication Technology Services (DA-ICTS) - The DA- ICTS shall establish dynamic website and other ICT- ena bled tools to ensure proactive engagements all concei·ned stakeholders at the local and national levels. This specifically shall reflect the current stocks/inventory and prices of local and imported allium. This information shall come from the DA-BPI, DA-AMAS, DA- RFOs and the allium industry stakeholders. 5. DA- .Regional Field Offices (RFO) - The DA-RFOs shall provide the information, logistics and technical support to the DA-BPI and its allium monitoring activities ( e .g., production, pest management, food safety and plant quarantine) and DA-AMAS in its ~ice monitoring activities. It shall be tl1e clearing house of information at the regional level when it comes to gathering of pertinent. allium-related data. In terms of local production management, i.e. touch basing with local government units in terms of prioritization, ordinances and support) B. BORDER Inward Foreign Cargo Manifests (IFM) shall be required for every Alliurn shipment The DA-IFM website shall be re-initiated. BPI NPQSD shall implement 100% inspection of Allium products, until such time when these imports have reached the proper pest and disease and food safety level as set by BPI. Philippine National Standard (PNS) on onion and garlic shall also be st1ictly adhered to. Close coordination with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in cases of non-compliance shall be adhered to. Pertinent reports shall be submitted to the DA-BPI. C. POST-BORDER After clearing all the SPS requirements at the border, all allium importations shall undergo the necessary second border inspection and sampling protocols as recommended by !SPM ND. 23 "Guidelines on Inspection' and [SPM No. 31 "Methodologies for Sampling of Consignments.". Pertinent reports shall be submitted to the DA-BPI. IV. COLD STORAGE WAREHOUSES All cold storage warehouses (CSWs) catering to local and imported allium s half be registered \'Vith the DA and shall be subjected to existing guidelines for inspection of pests and diseases and food safety for plant food. Full accreditation of the CSWs for plant food specifically al!ium shall be done in ad hoe by BPI-AMT. A grace period of six months shall be given to non-compliant CSWs for their corrective actions. All registered CSWs' invento ries with local and imported stocks of allium shall be submitted to the BPI-AMT every two weeks. The Office of the Secretary shall be furnished a copy of these. AHium stock inventories shall be uploaded in the database maintained by the DA lCTS for internal consumption only. V. STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION To instilutionalize participatory monitoring and ensure transparency in balancing supply d emand side, Allium growers, traders, importers, and exporters shall be actively involved in the sharing of accurate information. Regular meetings shall be conducted for this purpose. Any result in the monitoring and evaluatio:1 activities of this group shall be fo rwarded to the Philippine Competition Commission and/Jr other appropriate authorities in order to ensure fair competition in the market for the benefit of the consumers and business0s. This order shall take effect immediately. c~-c-~·· WILLIAM D. DAR, Ph.D. Secretary 'JE.PARH,lEtH Of .C:.GRICULTlf..:E lllllllll!IIIIIIU:lllll!illllCllllli!llllllllllillll llmllllllll in rt pl:,tlng pls cite th;s codt! : For Signature: S-01-20-0087 Rectiv~d : 01/06/20~0 05 :39 PM