DA Probes alleged vegetable smuggling in Benguet
AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered an investigation into the alleged smuggling of broccoli, carrots and other highland vegetables, citing concerns that unfair competition is hurting local farmers, particularly in the Cordillera region.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) directed its Inspectorate and Enforcement office and the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) to verify reports of imported vegetables being sold alongside locally grown produce in Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet.
A DA-Cordillera report dated Oct. 15 found imported broccoli displayed at three stalls in Baguio Hangar Market. One stall had a styrofoam box labeled “Product of China.”
Interviews with vendors and distributors indicated that around 50 boxes of broccoli, priced at about ₱1,250 each, were reportedly sourced every other day from a supplier in Santo Cristo, Divisoria, and transported through vegetable trucks returning from Manila.
Retail prices in monitored areas ranged from ₱170 to ₱250 per kilogram.
Authorities have yet to establish whether the vegetables were smuggled into the country. The reported sources and distribution arrangements remain subject to verification.
“We will get to the bottom of this and if violations of the Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law were indeed committed, we will make sure these violators are punished,” Tiu Laurel said.
The monitoring team also received complaints from market facilitators who said the presence of imported or allegedly smuggled broccoli made it more difficult to sell locally grown produce, as some buyers reportedly favored cheaper supplies.
The DA-Cordillera recommended joint inspections by DA-IE and BPI at major trading hubs in Metro Manila, CALABARZON and Central Luzon to verify import documents, plant quarantine compliance and food safety requirements.
It also called for stronger coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Trade and Industry, along with local government units and market stakeholders, to improve market monitoring and enforce proper price tagging and product labeling.
During a September coordination meeting, the DA-Cordillera presented joint monitoring reports to the Benguet provincial task force and discussed marketing concerns with the DTI, including enforcement of the Consumer Act of the Philippines. It also sought DILG assistance for coordinated local interventions.
Meanwhile, BPI personnel collected broccoli samples for laboratory testing for heavy metals and formalin, according to the report.
The DA stressed that enforcement actions must be based on verified findings and comply with due process. Legally imported vegetables that meet national standards and quarantine requirements remain eligible for sale.
The DA-Cordillera is also pursuing market-linkage initiatives and promoting locally grown vegetables to help farmers expand their market reach.
