Department of Agriculture’s (DA) regulatory agencies, led by DA Undersecretary for Operations and Chairperson of DA COVID-19 Food Resiliency Task Force, Engr. Ariel T. Cayanan, gathered on May 8, 2020 in a video conference to study and give comments to AgriLogistics Solutions, Inc.’s proposal called “Offdock container yard One-Stop-Solution”.
The proposal aims to address the current challenges of the industry on port congestion particularly during this time of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
The presentation was a result of the May 6 meeting facilitated by PCAF on Poultry and Feeds Sectors Resolution No. 6 , Series of 2020, “Recommending to DA to put up a one-stop shop storage facility with DA quarantine office in alternate container yard to store agricultural and fishery shipments to help abate port container congestion and ensure unhampered flow of basic goods during the ECQ period.”
Ford Pelaez of AgriLogistics Solution, Inc. earlier proposed to Usec. Cayanan the following:
• For AgriLogistics to secure a customs-bonded container yard as an alternate storage facility to minimize increased payments for storage, detention and demurrage charges for overstaying agricultural and fishery shipments due to congestion in Manila ports, and
• To donate reefer vans/trucking services to deliver agricultural products from Benguet to LGUs in Luzon, especially to Metro Manila.
Among the regulatory agencies present during the video con were the Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, Bureau of Plant Industry, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.### jc
