AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has created a technical working group (TWG) to revamp administrative processes and policies concerning agricultural imports.

Under Special Order (SO) 768, Tiu Laurel directed Undersecretary Asis Perez to lead the TWG, which will collaborate with the National Economic and Development Authority's Committee on Tariff and Related Matters to potentially expand import quotas for agricultural goods beyond the minimum access volume (MAV) and consider lowering or eliminating administrative fees for these imports.

According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the working group will "make it easier for importers to secure licenses or exempt licensed importers from submission of registration requirements."

The TWG also aims to streamline the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary permits essential for importing agricultural products. Additionally, it is tasked to come up with plans to enhance logistics, transportation, distribution and storage of imported goods.

SO 768 also mandates the publication of streamlined guidelines by relevant agencies in the Official Gazette or a national newspaper to ensure transparency and accessibility.

Furthermore, the agriculture chief directed the creation of a secretariat led by lawyer Jomila May Fugaban to oversee the TWG's operations and provide regular updates to his office.

The creation of the TWG aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to simplify administrative procedures for importing agricultural products and remove non-tariff barriers to lower prices of farm goods in the country.

Administrative Order 20, signed by Marcos, states that administrative constraints and non-tariff barriers persist, leading to increased domestic prices of imported agricultural commodities.

In line with this, the DA, Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Finance were tasked to streamline procedures and requirements in the licensing of importers, minimize the processing time of applications for importation, and exempt licensed traders from submission of registration requirements.

This strategic initiative underscores the government's commitment to fostering a conducive environment for agricultural trade, with a focus on efficiency, transparency and accessibility in import procedures, the DA said.