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Davao City: The Bureau of Customs has ordered some
120, 000 boxes of pineapple platelets from Guatemala condemned after
the Bureau of Quarantine found out that it was contaminated with a
plant disease.
Dante Maranan, BOC chief legal
division of Port of Davao told The Manila Times that the quarantine
agency found the pineapple platelets imported from Guatemala were
infected with the plant disease known as teckla.
“The BPI failed to issue a
permit covering the importation of the shipment,” Maranan said.
The said pineapple platelets were
imported by the Upland Banana Corporation, which is based in AJAIR
Port, Tibungco, Davao City.
“The company has expressly
abandoned the shipment and has submitted it before the authorities
for disposition.” he said.
Juan Tan, district collector of
the Port of Davao, said the shipment, which was loaded on a
forty-footer container van was brought to Calinan for fumigation.
The teckla-carrying pineapple platelets were later burned and buried
in the presence of the representatives of Commission on Audit,
Philippine Anti-Smugling Group, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and Bureau of Plant and Industry.
Philippine pineapples have
penetrated the international market due to their competitive quality
and taste. Local pineapples are presently being shipped to the
Middle East, Japan, US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Australia, Africa
and the Asia Pacific.
Del Monte Philippines General
Manager and Chief Operating Officer Luis Alejandro has appealed
before the government and BOC officials to be more stringent in
inspecting imported products, particularly plant-related goods.
“Or else, the teckla infected
pineapple platelets would have damaged [our] healthy and uninfected
pineapples,” Alejandro said.
Del Monte produces 700,000 metric
tons of pineapples a year, 70 percent of which is being shipped to
various countries.
--Miguel Antonio de Guzman
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