MANAOAG-The SOS has been raised for Pangasinan’s agricultural traders.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has appealed to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for help in curbing the smuggling of agricultural products into Pangasinan through La Union and the two Ilocos provinces.

Yap, for his part, promptly acted and called Finance Secretary Gary Teves and Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

“I am making a call. It is our job to protect the agriculture sector and to ensure that if there are imports, they are safe. But the job of manning the ports belongs to the Bureau of Customs,” Yap said.

The Finance department, meanwhile, he saidplays a role in economic development with agriculture as one of the top priority areas.

Espino said smuggling of agricultural products must be stopped immediately as this is now seriously affecting growers and traders not just in the province but in the entire Region 1 as well.

Products that are being smuggled include pork, chicken, onions and garlic.

“Kawawa na po ang mga farmers natin Mr. Secretary. Kung meron po kayong magagawa diyan, tulungan po natin sila.,” Espino said in a speech during an event here Wednesday.

Yap, who visited Pangasinan for the launching of mango dryer facilities and extended hot water treatment tank, acknowledged that smuggling of agricultural products “kills” Philippine agriculture.

“When it comes to allowing agricultural produce to come into the country, we are making sure that this should be science-based, to ensure that it is not harmful to our agricultural sector, and we closely watch the granting of permit and ensure that it is not used in a wrong way,” he said.

VEGGIES

Meanwhile, Yap said vegetable production sites must also be given utmost concern, particularly in the uplands as these areas provide alternative sources when regular supply is affected by typhoons and other natural  disasters.#

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