Gov't proposes ship-out deadline for salt imports

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) wants the country's salt imports to be shipped out from their countries of origin within two months from approval of their sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs).

- JASPER EMMANUEL ARCALAS

The draft salt importation guidelines stipulate that the SPSIC issued by BFAR for food-grade and non-food grade imported salt shall be valid for two months starting from the date of issuance.

This means that the imported salt product must be shipped out of its country of origin within 60 days or else the SPSIC would expire automatically or be canceled.

The SPSIC is a document issued by a competent government authority, which certifies that an imported commodity - in this case salt - is safe for human consumption and does not pose any threat to human, animal or plant life.

Under the draft rules, the SPSIC will indicate the period for which the actual salt shipment should have left its country of origin.

"No food grade or non-food grade salt shall be imported without a sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance issued covering such importation," the draft guidelines read.

The document is also issued by other government agencies such as the Bureau of Plant Industry and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) for the importation of plant and animal products, respectively.