We always worry about the risks of imported food commodities as they bring dangers to the agriculture industry and our health. They are sources of contamination.
Remember the bird flu and the avian pest that wiped out poultry farms, food and mouth diseases of cattle, infests and pathogens that cling on vegetables and fruits, weevils on imported rice, hog cholera and now the African swine fever that is killing thousands of pigs.
They spread, infest, and infect animals and crops including people and they appear wholesome.
This happens because we do not strictly enforce pest risk analysis and quarantine measures on imported food, items, and stop smuggling. Our country tolerates indiscriminate importation beyond what we really need.
To protect agriculture that feeds us with healthy food, regular and thorough inspection of justified imported food must be done. — PERCIVAL B. ALIPIT, Baguio City
May 19, 2024