AreaPhilippines

Commodity GroupRice

CommodityAll

Date11/11/2019

Policy CategoryTrade

Policy InstrumentImport requirements

DescriptionRevised documentation requirements for registration and renewal of importers of plants, their products and planting materials, including provisions that require importers provide proof of existence or right to use of warehouses and annual income tax returns for the past three years. In addition, it stipulated that consignments of rice to the Philippines were to depart their country of origin within the prescribed date of the approved Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry and were to arrive in the Philippines no later than 60 days of the Must Ship Out Date indicated in the SPSIC. Successive official statements also indicated that it intended to conduct pre-inspections at rice imports\' point of origin in order to ensure their quality and safety.