Philippines: BPI-PQS warns pole-vaulters
In a recent consultative conference, BPI-PQS chief Luben Marasigan said his office would be more vigilant in running after pole-vaulters as he warned buyers from contracted farms the revocation of their accreditation certificates.
Stephen Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, Inc. (PBGEA) brought to the attention of the government agency tasked to regulate agricultural crops for export the concern of member-companies on the illegal practice of growers ignoring contractual commitments and selling to other parties for more money during the periods of high market prices.
“When banana prices rise in the foreign markets, we see the proliferation in Davao of many spot buyers from abroad who deploy their consolidators to purchase bananas from anyone willing to sell to them, regardless whether such produce may already be committed to another company that had advanced funds and materials to the growers to produce those bananas”, Antig said.
Such practice put at stake the quality of the exported fruits especially if these were harvested earlier than planned, thus a threat to the reputation of Philippine Cavendish bananas in the international market and putting at risk the entire banana export industry.
The BPI-PQS also warned producers and exporters who act as dummies of spot buyers by allowing the buyers the use of their accreditation certificates for a fee.