Deadline for applications to import seafood extended

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it extended the deadline to apply for permits to bring in imported seafood to the end of June, with few takers among importers because of the tight shipping deadlines.

Only about a quarter of the 25,000 metric tons of seafood approved for import has been landed so far, the DA said in a statement.

The imports were primarily intended for the use of the food service, tourism and hospitality industries.

The DA said the low uptake was due to overly tight import timelines and sourcing constraints.

“It’s more of a systemic issue than low demand,” it said.

“The timeframes we set were too short, and many of the approved products were out of season in their countries of origin,” it added.

The DA said it was challenging for some importers to meet requirements tied to larger volume allocations.

The approved list of imports includes salmon, cod, and tuna by-products, squid, scallops, octopus, and lobster, “none of which is locally sourced in sufficient quantities.”

The DA said it allowed sardine imports “because it was the offseason in some of our fishing grounds.”

It also said sardines are deemed affordable and expanding the supply will “help address inflation concerns.”

The DA said extending the deadline for issuing import permits will help ease food inflation and improve allocation efficiency.

It cited a directive from Malacañang to rationalize fish imports to “stabilize supply and prices for the tourism and high-end food sectors, with the goal of generating more jobs and attracting investment.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza