Thai and Singaporean firms form JV to produce batteries for electric vehicles
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
Nuovo Plus, a joint venture between Arun Plus and Global Power Synergy Plc, is forming a joint venture with Gotion Singapore to build a battery plant to supply electric vehicles and energy storage systems, the company announced.
The joint venture, NV Gotion, will have authorised capital of almost 600 million baht, with 51% from Nuovo Plus and 49% from Gotion, Nuovo Plus said in a press release.
NV Gotion will import components, and assemble and distribute battery modules and packs for energy storage systems and electric vehicles, the press release said. Its initial production capacity will be 1 GWh a year, which will double to 2 GWh per year by 2025.
Nuovo Plus is a joint venture between Arun Plus and Global Power Synergy.
Buranin Rattanasombat, Chief New Business and Infrastructure Officer, PTT Public Company Limited and Chairman of the Board of Nuovo Plus Company Limited revealed that creating an ecosystem of renewable energy and electric vehicle depends primarily on the production of batteries for energy storage and electric vehicles (EV).
This joint venture establishes NV Gotion company which specializes in the energy storage and EV Value Chain — upstream to downstream — in accordance with the future energy business of PTT Group’s strategy.
NV Gotion will be capable of providing industrial sectors with one-stop service and international standard batteries not only in Thailand but across Asean by combining the knowledge of Nuovo Plus and Gotion in the fields of research and development (R&D), competitive production potential, technical service from experts. Thus, NV Gotion is going to construct a 2 GWh battery plant in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). By the fourth quarter of 2023, the plant plans to develop and provide high-quality lithium-ion batteries to the market so that boosting competitiveness through innovation and technology could ensure Thailand’s Net Zero goal.
Li Zhen, Chairman of Gotion High-tech Co., Ltd. highlighted the significance of the joint venture with PTT and expectations for the future.
Gotion believes that the cooperation will aid in the company’s international growth and accelerate the new energy development of PTT Group. Resulting in win-win situation and laying a solid foundation for further collaboration in the future.
The quality of products is the key to the joint venture’s success. It is intended that both parties can leverage their respective strengths, and make their advantages complement one another.
” To advance product technology, enhance the functionality of products, and enhance services, thus, we must collaborate. Promoting application is the soul of the development of the joint venture. In order to help Thailand’s automotive industry become more globally competitive, NV Gotion will support the Thai government to create a green economy and transform Thai automobiles. Gotion High-tech and PTT Group, with NV Gotion as the platform, will make the most of the first-class technology, high-quality products, and advanced management to support the success of electric vehicles equipped with NV Gotion batteries in Southeast Asia and beyond,” Li said.
What makes quality a necessity? Unlock the keys to success with Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Toyota Execs
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
Quality is vital to a company navigating its way to success, especially for a car manufacturer whose product quality embodies its customers’ safety, convenience, and overall experiences.
This is why NielsenIQ Automotive Team, the expert of customer experience studies and auto industry data analysis, have decided to delve deeper into the secrets behind some of the most successful automotive manufacturers in Thailand namely Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Toyota. We want to find out just what these producers are doing differently to ensure they stay ahead of the competition in this fiercely competitive industry and how they see the future of the automotive industry.
Consumer needs for quality in the Thai automotive market have never stopped evolving.
The three crucial aspects found in every quality product or service are operational efficiency, consumer confidence, and value for money. It is no surprise that quality control in the automotive industry has evolved with changing times. In the view of the four executives, the following key factors have contributed to the transformation:
Technology & Connectivity: Consumer needs for quality have evolved with technological innovation and the advancement of connectivity, explains Mr. Somkid Praditkamjornchai, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd. As new technologies emerge car manufacturers have to incorporate them to improve their vehicles’ performance. However, this does not mean that manufacturers can lose sight of the vehicles’ basic requirements, such as a smooth ride, comfortable seating, engine quality, reliability, no car noises, or component excellence. Indeed, manufacturers must ensure that the quality of these factors are maintained while understanding that consumers are now taking more notice of the technologies on offer from their products than ever before.
At the same time, Mr. Kenichiro Saruwatari, President and CEO of AutoAlliance (Thailand) Co., Ltd., believes that continuous development of new communications technology features will have a lasting effect on quality assurance and that manufacturers also place connectivity at the heart of their technological advancements.
Trends, Government Regulations & Social Issues: In Saruwatari’s opinion, society’s increasing environmental awareness has made electric vehicles more and more desirable to consumers. Manufacturers need to respond to this trend. Meanwhile, different government regulations around the world, including carbon neutrality and net zero emissions goal, also play an integral part in setting the stage. He cites the example of Japan, where there are more road accidents involving elderly people than younger generations from society, leading to automotive innovations aimed at addressing this social problem.
Emotional requirements: Consumers have higher expectations, so manufacturers must be careful to meet said needs, both in terms of everyday facility and the emotional benefits their products can offer. Examples of such include designing vehicles that are eye-catching, luxurious, and elegant as these can indicate a person’s good standing in society, as well as producing a sense of pride in its owner, according to Mr. Wichai Sinanunphat, Director of Tri Petch Isuzu Co., Ltd.
As consumer requirements are constantly changing, ensuring that the company has its ears open to the ‘customer voice’ is essential to Mr. Eiichi Koito, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd. He also remarks that it is not merely the passing of time that is influencing the ever-changing consumer needs, it is also the automotive market differences in each country and segment that result in unique requirements. Organizations must therefore keep a close eye on their customers to analyse how those needs are changing and how they can be effective in meeting them as this information will prove vital to success. The speed at which a company can process such information is another critical aspect, which is why Mitsubishi has provided special training to staff to ensure a company culture built around maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
Quality control challenges in the eyes of Manufacturers
All four executives agree that ‘quality control’ is a challenging objective, particularly when it comes to the latest innovations or technologies. Manufacturers must have a clear understanding of the direction that any potential progress could take the company – be that in terms of processes, components, suppliers, or new products – including how quality and customer satisfaction could be affected.
Isuzu takes responsibility for quality assurance throughout the process, from design and manufacturing to product delivery and after-sales care. As a result, their customers trust in the brand. Mazda is another shining light in this regard, having multiple teams – including designers, engineers, and quality controllers – working collaboratively for optimal operational efficiency. They also quickly identify and address any issues that arise.
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi believes that the diverse and varied needs of their customers pose an intriguing challenge. By focusing on shared points of importance to both themselves and their customers, they take on the most pressing issues first, creating vehicle models with their own unique selling points.
Finally, Toyota has a range of standards and procedures to guarantee ‘safety and quality’ to their customers, including adherence to safety and quality principles and the use of customer-centric change management and other techniques designed to reduce problems faced by their customers. The success of such a method is heavily reliant on the executive closely monitoring day-to-day operations.
These key factors underpin automotive manufacturer success
Despite each of the organizations having their own individual policies or concepts, it is clear that they share a belief in listening to consumer opinion to inform the design of their vehicles, resulting in greater customer confidence in their brands. The executives of these four successful businesses have outlined the following key factors to automotive manufacturer success:
All four executives are in agreement that the automotive market is in a rebound phase and that it is starting to expand once again following the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers are beginning to expand their own horizons, whether in terms of professional lives, tourism, or even camping. However, as Mr. Somkit and Mr. Wirachai remark that there remain some very challenging obstacles for automakers, including high costs, especially for metal, and a lack of access to semi-conductors. The current precarious supply chain requires careful attention moving forward. Meanwhile, many economies are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic. Additionally, higher fuel prices are significantly impacting consumer demand for vehicles, making it difficult for manufacturers to make accurate predictions for this year’s sales figures.
Despite these volatile factors, the automotive market seems to be heading in the right direction. For car makers, placing a greater importance on consumer voice, teamwork, efficient manufacturing process, and product safety ensure the highest quality can be maintained. This is not exclusive to the motor vehicle industry but instead should be seen as a mantra to guide producers from all industries as they strive to stay ahead of the competition.
Receiving the winning titles for past initial quality award is a source of pride for these executives and a testament to their organizations’ utmost attention to customer voice. They reflect the dedication to quality shown by these outstanding automobile manufacturers.
AURA sees glittering future for its Thong Ma Ngern Pai gold shops
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022
Nongluck Ajanapanya
Aurora Design Plc (AURA), one of Thailand’s leading gold and diamond jewellery retailers, is expanding its consignment business under its Thong Ma Ngern Pai (Gold Comes, Money Goes) brand of shops.
The move comes after it became the first gold jeweller to list on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) last month. The decision to roll out more shops was driven by expanding demand in the consignment sector, AURA chief marketing officer Anipat Srirungthum explained on Thursday.
Thong Ma Ngern Pai brand is a retailer that also allows customers to temporarily exchange jewellery for cash to boost their liquidity.
Anipat said this business was previously only a supplement to its Aurora and Seng Heng gold shops but had now become a core focus.
The expansion is part of the company’s rebranding from an antique traditional family jewellers to a modern trendy gold store for people of all ages.
Anipat said Thong Ma Ngern Pai differed from its competitors thanks to its high credit limit, no need for a guarantor, instant cash, low monthly interest rate of 1.25%, more than 200 standardised branches nationwide, and easy access via its own app.
“I dare to say that no other gold shop offers such a high credit limit with such a low interest rate,” he said.
Asked why Aurora Design is so confident about making the consignment business its new flagship, Anipat highlighted the critical role digitisation.
“We are a data-driven organisation. Data helps us with accuracy of checking and tracking as well as ensuring security against errors and scams on a proper economy of scale. It also helps us understand our customers’ pain points and the solutions we can offer them.”
Aniwat explained that the Thong Ma Ngern Pai brand was created to help customers easily access financial sources at a legal interest rate and with greater convenience. After more than three years of testing, the service showed promising prospects.
Revenue is growing at least 45% per year and there are over 130,000 users of Thong Ma Ngern Pai services.
AURA plans to expand the current network of 266 stores to 409 by 2024, boosting revenue to 3.7 billion baht.
Aniwat said the brand will also collaborate with other businesses to improve user experience and engagement. The company has partnered with CJ MORE, Line BK, and Kasikorn Bank.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wants the proposed free trade agreement between the Philippines and the European Union (EU) to materialize soon to bolster mutual economic development.
The joint statement issued after the first summit between Asean and European Union leaders in Brussels on Wednesday shows a much more level playing field in the relationship between the countries in the two regions. In their declaration, the issue of human rights, one of the EU’s favourite subjects, was barely touched, not because Asean members have improved their record on that front, but more because the EU knows it is dealing with a partner with much-stronger bargaining power.
The EU has pledged to continue its support for ASEAN efforts to find peace in Myanmar, as the leaders of the two regional blocs met to celebrate 45 years of dialogue partnership.
A proposal to raise taxes to fund significant improvements in Japan’s defense capabilities was approved Thursday at an executive meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Research Commission on the Tax Systems, including a surtax of 4% to 4.5% for corporate tax.
On December 11, we marked International Mountain Day, a day to reflect on mountains, their ecosystems, and the environment. We have the Chittagong Hills, which are the only significant hill system in the country, containing at least 75 mountain peaks, which range in altitude approximately from 600-1,000 m (2,000-3,300 ft) above sea level. Thus, the day has deep relevance to the country.
Monday, December 11, was an important day. It was the International Mountain Day (IMD). However, besides some dignitaries joining a group of students to observe the day at the convention centre in Thimphu, the day passed by as silently as the mountain issues that are untold, under-reported or hijacked by other important issues like the economy, reform or moving to Australia.
THE Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations have pledged US$15.5bil (RM68.2bil) to help Vietnam transition away from coal, as part of a Just Transition Energy Partnership (Jtep) effort aimed at luring influential economies onto greener energy road maps.
The mismatches in labour supply after the reverse migration during the Covid-19 pandemic in India and other countries in the Asia Pacific (Apac) region could weaken economic growth, said Moody’s Investors Service.
Six sites of the wind power project that will be jointly conducted by Myanmar and Russia, will be able to produce more than 8,100 megawatts of electricity, sources said.
Two exchange-traded funds that track US-listed cryptocurrency futures have raised a combined $73.6 million ahead of their debut on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Friday in defiance of the sector’s meltdown.
Space Japan MUFG Bank to invest in space business – The Japan News
MUFG Bank Ltd. plans to invest in Space One Co., which is engaged in launching small rockets, it has been learned. An announcement will be made as early as this week.
China’s first high-speed railway in ethnic group autonomous prefecture, the Mile-Mengzi high-speed railway, will open to tourists soon, China Railway Kunming Group shared.
Sri Lanka’s economy shrank 11.8 percent in the July-September quarter from a year ago, government data showed on Thursday, the second-worst quarterly contraction ever for the country going through a severe financial crisis.
Japan eyes support for marine industry ahead of releasing treated nuclear waste
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
Japan plans to launch an initiative this month that will boost the consumption of marine products from five coastal prefectures, ahead of the planned release of treated water into the sea from the Fukushima nuclear plant accident.
Events will be held nationwide to promote the safety of marine products and processed seafood from the prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Chiba.
About 100 organisations, including financial institutions, trading companies and local governments, are expected to participate in the public-private programme.
If misleading information about the treated water spreads following the planned discharge in spring, participating companies will purchase marine products from the five prefectures.
The central government decided last year that contaminated water from the nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc would be treated to remove most of the radioactive material and diluted with seawater before it is released into the ocean.
However, the planned release has raised concerns about the possibility of harmful rumours spreading.
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry will work with the private sector to strengthen support for fishery operators and promote the consumption of their marine products.
Landslide hits campsite off Genting: Child among 16 killed
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
At least 16 people were killed with around 17 others feared trapped in a landslide in Malaysia on Friday, Malaysian authorities said.
The Ministry of Local Government Development said on Twitter that 61 victims have been rescued from the campsite at Father’s Organic Farm in the Batang Kali area, on the outskirts of capital Kuala Lumpur.
Among those confirmed dead were believed to be one 5-year old boy, six women and one man, police said.
A total 94 victims in total were affected, most of them local residents including workers at the campsite, Hulu Selangor district police chief Suffian Abdullah said.
Among those rescued were teachers and their families from Chinese primary school Mun Choong in Kuala Lumpur.
Those rescued have been sent to a police station in Selangor, with three Singaporeans among those saved, according to Malaysian daily China Press.
The campsite is located on Jalan Batang Kali-Jalan Genting Highlands, less than 15km away from the peak of Genting Highlands.
The camp, located about 4.5km or a 10-minute drive from Gohtong Jaya – a town below the Genting Highlands peak – is en route to the popular travel destination that houses a casino and theme park, offers eco-tourism packages including educational guides on organic vegetable farming.
Roads to the site have been shut to allow easier access for trucks ferrying tractors and personnel for rescue operations.
“All the victims are believed to have entered last Wednesday to carry out camping activities,” Chief Superintendent Suffian told reporters on Friday.
noted that the Fire and Rescue Department has brought in K-9 dogs units in the search for the remaining victims.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was shocked by news of the landslide and had instructed the government departments to conduct the search and rescue mission in an orderly and systematic manner. He added he plans to make a visit to the location of the accident at night.
Other ministers in Mr Anwar’s Cabinet have also said they will visit the site.
Selangor’s Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said the distress call was received at 2.24am before rescue teams began operations.
According to initial reports of the operation commander, the height of the ruins is estimated at 30m, he said.
“The landslide is about one acre wide and fell onto the campsite,” Mr Norazam said when contacted on Friday.
He added that personnel from multiple fire stations, as well as the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Team (STORM) have also been deployed to the site for ongoing search and rescue operations.
On Tuesday, the Fire Department’s director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid advised Malaysians and local municipal authorities to temporarily stop recreational activities, especially in high-risk areas such as mountains, hills, rivers and beaches, during monsoon season.
“We understand this year-end holiday period, many families are definitely planning leisure activities in certain areas, but we hope that these can be stopped for a while for now.”
The Straits Times
Asia News Network
Malaysian Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi on Thursday said the ministry is closely monitoring federal roads prone to high-risk flooding that can lead to slope failures in the current wet season.
He said the ministry is working with agencies including the Mineral and Geoscience Department Malaysia, Nadma and other relevant bodies as landslides are natural disasters under their purview.
Around 1,045 slopes have been identified as “very high risk”, said Malaysia’s Public Works Department (JKR) on Thursday, adding that “Pahang, Perak, Kelantan and Selangor have been identified as the states with the most number of hotspots for slope failures”.
JKR said it is available to mobilise anytime to ensure appropriate precautions, such as warning signage and traffic management, are taken.
Citibank forecasts positive outlook for Asian economy in 2023
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
It is also expected that the Thai economy will expand further, with an expected GDP growth of 4.3% and headline inflation to return to an average of 2.5%
Citi has recently released an Asia-Pacific economic data update for 2023, indicating a positive outlook due to the end of Asia’s monetary tightening cycle and strong CAPEX trend in some economies, although China’s reopening will likely have a lesser impact on regional economic growth until 2H23.
The Thai economy is expected to grow further in 2023 as a result of the tourism recovery, an increase in private sector spending, as well as easing inflation. In any case, there remain downside risks to monitor amid global slowdowns.
Johanna Chua, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific, Citigroup said, “The Asia-Pacific region’s overall economy shows positive signs in 2023. Citi expects Pan-Asia GDP growth at 4.4%, a slight increase from 3.5% in 2022. Despite risk factors such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, the geopolitical tension between China and the United States, and price shocks, the regional economy is expected to continue to grow, following the end of the monetary tightening cycle. The Fed’s policy rate is expected to peak, and the US dollar’s depreciation in the second half of 2023 is expected to relieve some pressure on Asia’s central banks. While China’s gradual re-opening is not expected to provide much growth support to Asia until the second half of 2023, it may cause inflation in ASEAN economies such as Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand to remain elevated for longer.”
Chua continued, “Based on investment and international trade trends in 2023, Citi forecasts a slowdown in the tech-led trade until the middle of 2023, followed by a U-shaped recovery in the second half of 2023. There are secular CAPEX trends that are worth monitoring, namely in Indonesia and India. More investments will be made in India in the fiscal year 2023, with increased production capacity and a record level of foreign direct investment. Additionally, foreign investment is expected to flow into the Indonesian supply chain, particularly in the low-carbon metals and electric vehicle battery industries.”
Nalin Chutchotitham, Citi Thailand economist, maintains the 2023 Thai economic growth forecast at 4.3% after the complete reopening. The tourism sector, in particular, will be a key growth driver, with an expected 23 million tourists in 2023, an increase from an expected 10.1 million in 2022. Private consumption is expected to continue growing as the labour income in the services sector recovers further. Despite the slowdown in the export sector, we continue to expect private investment to expand in 2023, supported by longer-term development in the government-promoted Bio-Circular-Green industries, as well as the Eastern Economic Corridor project.
“Despite slower growth in the export sector, the current account is expected to revert from a deficit in 2022 to a surplus of 3.8% of GDP in 2023. This is expected to be led by higher tourism revenues, a decrease in freight service expenditure, and a narrower trade deficit due to lower commodity prices.”
“However, the Thai economy may continue to face upside inflation risks from demand-pull pressures and unexpected increases in energy prices. In our base case, however, headline inflation is expected to return to an average of 2.5% in 2023. We also expect the Bank of Thailand to hike the policy rate to 2.25% by the third quarter of 2023. The gradual policy rate hike, combined with ample domestic liquidity, will help to mitigate the negative impact of higher borrowing costs on SMEs and households. Meanwhile, there remains some room for fiscal measures should the economic momentum weaken more than expected,” Nalin concluded.
Citibank Thailand recently held an event dubbed “All-Star Analyst Day 2022” to provide corporate and institutional customers with information on economic and investment trends.
Puerto Rico independence vote bill passes US House
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
Puerto Rico’s movement for greater self-government got a boost on Thursday in the US House of Representatives, which passed a bill for a referendum on three potential futures although the measure had little chance of being taken up by the Senate.
The Puerto Rico Status Act outlines terms for a binding referendum on the three options: full independence, US statehood or sovereignty with formal US association, similar to the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
Democratic Representative Raul Grijalva, the bill’s original sponsor, said that whether the measure gets a vote in the Senate or not, it will still set “an important historical precedent” for Puerto Rico.
The legislation “tells the people in Puerto Rico, our fellow US citizens, that this election is going to be above board and the consequences are going to be above board,” Grijalva told a House committee hearing on Wednesday night.
The measure passed in the Democratic-controlled House in a 233-219 vote, largely along party lines.
Republicans argued against the bill because it did not offer the option of maintaining the status quo and said it was a distraction as a US federal government shutdown looms on Friday night unless lawmakers approve a funding measure.
The Caribbean island is currently a US territory whose residents are US citizens but do not have voting representation in Congress and cannot vote in presidential elections.
With about a week to go before Congress takes a holiday break, senators are scrambling to pass two major bills funding the military and the government more broadly.
Unless the Senate acts on the Puerto Rico bill this month, which is improbable, the legislation will expire. Republicans, who will control the House in the new Congress next year, are unlikely to reintroduce it.
Puerto Rico, which has about 3.3 million people and high rates of poverty, became a US territory in 1898. Activists have campaigned for greater self-determination including statehood for decades.
There have been six referendums on the topic since the 1960s, but they were non-binding. Only Congress can grant statehood.
US National Archives releases documents related to JFK assassination
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
The US National Archives on Thursday released thousands of documents related to the 1963 assassination of then-President John F. Kennedy shortly after President Joe Biden issued an executive order authorizing the release that also kept hundreds of other sensitive records secret.
The release of 12,879 documents was not expected to include any new bombshells or change the conclusion reached by the commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former Marine and communist activist who had lived in the Soviet Union, acted alone. However, the latest cache will be useful for historians focusing on the events around the assassination.
Kennedy was shot and killed while riding in his motorcade through Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, at the age of 46.
Thousands of books, articles, TV shows and films have explored the idea that Kennedy’s assassination was the result of an elaborate conspiracy. None have produced conclusive proof that Oswald – who was fatally shot by nightclub owner Jack Ruby two days after killing Kennedy – worked with anyone else, although they retain a powerful cultural currency.
Congress in 1992 had ordered that all remaining sealed files pertaining to the investigation into Kennedy’s death should be fully opened to the public through the National Archives in 25 years, by Oct. 26, 2017, except for those the president authorized for further withholding.
In 2017, then-President Donald Trump released a cache of records but decided to release the remaining documents on a rolling basis.
All of the remaining JFK files were originally supposed to have been released in October 2021. Biden postponed that planned release, citing delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and announced they would be instead disclosed in two batches: one on Dec. 15, 2021, and another by Dec. 15, 2022, after undergoing an intensive one-year review.
With Thursday’s release, 95 % of the documents in the CIA’s JFK assassination records collection will have been released in their entirety, a CIA spokesperson said in a statement, and no documents will remain redacted or withheld in full after an “intensive one-year review” of all previously unreleased information.
Philippines bans the import of certain fish species
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2022
The Philippine government has temporarily barred the entry of certain imported fish to avert their diversion to wet markets which could aggravate disruptions in the food value chain.
In a directive, the Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) said it suspended the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) for importing certain fish species effective immediately.
Canners are temporarily barred from importing round scad (“galunggong”) and moonfish (“bilong-bilong”) from abroad.
Likewise, the DA held off the SPSIC issuance to processors covering imported round scad, bonito (“tulingan”), mackerel (“alumahan”), moonfish, pompano, and tuna byproducts.
The import of these fish species will only be allowed if it will be directly undertaken by processors and importers who supply raw materials to processors with licences to operate and comply with food safety standards under the Food Safety Act.
Importers should also present a verifiable recording system of products containing the following: name of the importer; cold storage facility used to store fish imports; species and volume of raw materials delivered and processed along with the corresponding delivery and processing dates; and final destination of the processed product.
No substitutions
“Provided that, for importers supplying raw materials to processors, the species and volume of the products to be imported and the receiving processors thereof must be pre-identified in the application of the SPSIC and shall not be allowed to be supplied to any other processor,” the circular read.
Processors will be allowed to import once the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources completes the verification process.
Further, no import clearance shall be issued to institutional buyers for the importation of round scad, bonito, mackerel and moonfish in the meantime.
The DA, however, will allow them to procure imported pompano and tuna byproducts upon meeting certain requirements: a verifiable recording system that includes the name of the importer as well as delivered species and volume of imported fish with respective dates of deliveries.
“Importers allowed to import for processing and institutional buyers shall be solely liable with their client processor or institutional buyer for violation of import rules and regulations, including diversion of imported products to wet markets,” it said.
“For this purpose, a prima facie presumption of collusion between the importer and the processor or institutional buyer to commit such violation is hereby established,” it added.
The business group Fisheries and Aquaculture Board of the Philippines (FAB) said certain items outlined in the latest DA order need clarification.
Importers’ take
“Needless to say, it imposes additional constraints on the trade of imported seafood. This will result in additional disruptions and uncertainties,” FAB said.
“It will stoke inflation, especially among the small carinderias that serve the pompanos and galunggongs, tuna panga and byproducts,” it added. “Eventually as seen from experience over the high price of galunggong, consumers will no longer be able to afford these items from wet markets.
Meanwhile, the food advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan threw its support behind some senators’ call for additional roads from fish facilities to markets, pre-border inspections, and in-country laboratory tests for fish imports to scale up initiatives to put an end to the smuggling of agricultural goods.
“We support the various recommendations of Senators Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo and Robin Padilla that would ensure steady fish supply at stable prices in the country,” said Tugon Kabuhayan convener Asis Perez.
“All these recommendations will improve the industry and benefit fisherfolk and consumers alike,” added Perez, a former BFAR director.
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