The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it has launched investigations into several fertilizer suppliers with government contracts and suspended the release of their products following reports of substandard quality.
In a statement on Sunday, the DA said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. directed the procurement and warehousefiOn March 5, the DA and the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) conducted a thorough review of the products to stop the distribution of fertilizer from multiple suppliers.
The DA said the investigation targets suppliers identified in the initial FPA quality tests, including Agri-Victorious Trading Corp, DQB Green Agricultural Products Trading, Valap Inc, Dos Asia Chemical Trading Corp and Rova Fertilizer Manufacturing.
Mr. Laurel was quoted in a statement as saying, “We agreed to pay the price they quoted, yet they delivered an inferior product. This is highway robbery, and we will not allow it. They have no shame.”
According to DA, no stock can be identifiedfiED may be released, distributed or used to suppliers until review is completed and formal approval is issued by OFfiSecretary's CE
DA personnel were also ordered to submit reports on pending deliveries, ongoing transactions and other documents to assist in the assessment, the DA said. — Von Andrei E. Villamiel