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WHEREAS,
the Department of Agriculture issued Administrative Order 22, Series 2001, on the
temporary banning of identified fruits and corn from China; specifically
Yantai, Longkou, Weihai and Qungdao (Tsingtao) in the province
of Shandong and also in Dalian;
WHEREAS,
the Plant Quarantine Technical Team from the Bureau of Plant
Industry was sent by the Department of Agriculture to China to
investigate the sources of pest infestation on apple fruits exported
to the Philippines and to confer with the plant quarantine officials
in China.
WHEREAS,
the plant quarantine officials in China have pledged to comply
with the conditions as stated in the Import Permit, and adopt
strict sanitary and phytosanitary measures to prevent pest infestation
in the future, and;
WHEREAS,
the lifting of the temporary ban will foster a stronger relationship
in the trade of agricultural commodities between the Philippines
and China;
NOW,
THEREFORE, I, LEONARDO Q. MONTAMAYOR, Secretary of the Department
of Agriculture, by the power vested upon me by law, do hereby
lift the temporary ban imposed on the importation of apples,
pears, apricot, peach, plum, cherry, almond, quinces, walnut,
ornamental apple, and corn from the identified places in Shandong
as well as Dalian and prescribe the following:
- Resumption in the processing,
evaluation and issuance of Import Permits relevant to the importation
of the above stated commodities from the above mentioned places
in China by the Bureau of Plant Industry;
- Inspection of all shipments
arriving into the country of the aforementioned commodities originating
from China;
- Mandatory treatment at the country
of origin and subsequent inspection in al Philippine seaports
and airports shall be undertaken for al shipments of the aforementioned
commodities from Yantai, Longkou, Weihei and Qungdao (Tsingtao)
in the province of Shandong and Dalian until new guidelines have
been formulated, based on the bilateral agreements to be established
by the two countries concerning fruit importation;
- Upon arrival at the Philippine
ports, all imported commodities from China found infested with
pests shall be returned to the country of origin or destroyed
at the expense of the importers.
This order supersedes Administrative
Order No. 22 and shall take effect immediately.
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