CALABARZON | February 22, 2024 – In an effort to stop the spread of underweight and substandard fertilizers, a monitoring team spearheaded by Dr. Myer G. Mula, Deputy Executive Director for Fertilizer, conducted intensive inspection of fertilizer warehouses and dealer outlets in CALABARZON from February 19 to 22, 2024.
Held in the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, and Laguna, the activity targeted major area distributors and dealers licensed by the FPA. The primary focus was on mitigating the distribution of underweight fertilizer products, which pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity.
During the inspection, a total of three hundred six (306) fertilizer bags were weighed, encompassing a range of fertilizer compositions, including but not limited to 0-0-60, Complete (14-14-14/16-16-16), 15-5-15, 15-9-20, 16-20-0, 17-7-17, 18-46-0, 21-0-0, 25-0-0, and 46-0-0 (Granular and Prilled). Two hundred twenty-two (222) units (73% of the bags), were found to be underweight.
Deputy Executive Director Mula underscored the critical importance of vigilance among area distributors and dealers, urging them to conduct regular monitoring, particularly random weighing, of fertilizer deliveries.
He emphasized the adverse repercussions of underweight fertilizers, not only on the income of retailers but also on crop yields, thereby directly impacting the livelihoods of farmers.
Moreover, he stressed the role of FPA-licensed handlers in upholding the regulatory standards outlined in PD 1144.
He called upon the handlers to actively collaborate with the FPA in enforcing these regulations, to safeguard the integrity of the fertilizer market.
The FPA executive was accompanied by Mr. Edward Allen Calapatia, Senior Agriculturist and FOCU- National Coordinator and the team of FPA-RFU IV headed by FPA Regional Officer- Ms. Suzettie M. Alcaide, and Provincial Officers Mr. Jan Paolo E. Umerez, Mr. Mark Nicky S. Larga, Ms. Georlene P. Orbista and Mr. Marl Louie G. Seminano. ###
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Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Online ISSN: 2815-1674
Published by the FPA Information and Communications Team
