LAOAG CITY | August 25, 2022 – 1,380 bags of off-specs 14-14-14 fertilizers were pulled out in the market by Valap Inc., upon the order of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority. Witnesses by Mr. Noel M. Tablada, FPA Ilocos Norte Provincial Officer, and Mr. Nestor Diaz of Valap Inc, the pull-out was implemented on August 17, 2022, at St. Ruiz Agro FS and GM’s Warehouse in Brgy. 53 Rioeng, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. The said fertilizers are being manufactured by Valap Inc.

“Fertilizers are designed to meet the crop’s nutrient needs throughout the growing period in order to thrive. Therefore, buying or applying off-specs fertilizer without the farmers’ knowledge may greatly affect the growth and yield of a certain crop. Plants do not get enough fertilizers and may be malnourished, which makes them more susceptible to infestation resulting in low yield,” Mr. Tablada said.

The Fertilizer Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines provide that for inorganic fertilizer and fortified organic fertilizers, the minimum permissible tolerance of each of the guaranteed nutrients should not be less than 98%, and the moisture content should not exceed 2%

“In this case, the subject fertilizer did not meet the specifications required because, as per our laboratory analysis, Takada’s NPK 14-14-14 has 3.56% of N, and 6.61% K, which were way beyond its guaranteed analysis of 14%. Further, NPK results also showed 6.52% MC, which is way up high from 2% allowable MC,” Mr. Tablada explained.

Two trucks loaded with 1,000 bags and 380 bags, respectively, were used to haul the products back to the company’s manufacturing plant for further improvement of their registered NPK guaranteed level.

“We will continue to monitor and assess the progress made by Valap, Inc. because we want the farmers to get quality fertilizers,” Mr. Tablada ended. ###

Reference: Fertilizer Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines (Bluebook), page 13