Unregistered chemicals seized in NCotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Operatives of the Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority (FPA) seized close to a hundred liters of unregistered farm chemicals from dealers in North Cotabato in a continuing crackdown that began last week.

Aletha Bornea, provincial coordinator of the FPA for North Cotabato, said among the chemical farm inputs they seized were fertilizers, pesticides, and flower and fruit inducers with colorful labels, but have not been approved for sale by the government.

The “hot merchandise,” according to Bornea, were confiscated from agricultural stores in North Cotabato’s Libungan, Midsayap, Pikit and Matalam towns.

Two farmers, Alberto Liboon and Romeo Casonete, have earlier complained to the municipal agricultural officer of Pikit, a booming agricultural town in the first district of North Cotabato, of having been supplied with 65 bags of substandard corn seeds by a local dealer.

Bornea said the corn seeds are now in their custody, to be used as evidence against the supplier, whose identity she declined to reveal pending completion of the FPA’s investigation.

Bornea said farmers that have complaints on the quality of fertilizers and farm chemicals sold in stores in any town in the province can help prosecute suppliers through the FPA, the police and their municipal agriculturists.  - John Unson