INTERNATIONAL testing, inspection, and certification company SGS has offered its services for the country’s agricultural imports amid issues of smuggling, with fees to be charged to exporters, according to Go Negosyo Founder Jose Maria A. Concepcion III.
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr. Concepcion said that he met with SGS Vice President and Regional Operations Manager for Asia George Bottomley on March 31 to discuss possible collaboration with the Philippine government.
“SGS’ offer is to inspect all agricultural products coming into the Philippines, and it will now be the exporters who will have to pay to send their agricultural products here,” he said.
The two officials discussed how the SGS system could assist in monitoring trade leakages and provide data analysis in increasing the country’s trade revenues and opportunities.
SGS has local operations through SGS Philippines, Inc.
“The issue on agricultural smuggling is real, and I think any effort to help curb it is worth looking into,” he added.
For his part, Mr. Bottomley said that SGS could also assist farmers and agribusinesses by providing testing and certification services.
The proposal will be referred to government bodies such as the Agriculture department and the Private Sector Advisory Council for Agriculture.
He added that the proposed engagements will also help Go Negosyo’s Kapatid Angat Lahat Agri Program (KALAP), which aims to help small farmers become part of the value chain of large companies.
“It comes just in time as more companies have become interested in joining our KALAP initiative,” Mr. Concepcion said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave