KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO | March 08, 2024 – On March 4-6, 2024, the FPA carried out a thorough inspection of dealers’ and fertilizer distributors’ warehouses in General Santos, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and North Cotabato, in an attempt to address the prevalence of underweight fertilizer bags in the market.

Leading the FPA Monitoring Team were Dr. Myer G. Mula, Deputy Executive Director for Fertilizer; Edward Allen Calapatia, National Coordinator-Field Operations; and FPA SOCCSKSARGEN, under the direction of OIC-Regional Officer Maricel P. Tabigue, Provincial Officers Cherubin M. Alonzo, Jennie M. Basilio, and Joey B. Pascua.

Eight major fertilizer handlers namely: Abigail Farm Supply Inc.; Green Gems Farm Supply Corp,; IMBAS Dist. Corp.; JMB Agri Supply; LDA Agri Marketing; Lubaton Mktng. Inc.; Marbel Quality Farm Supply Corp; and RAID Inc. were inspected by the team.

Weighed were 1,306 bags of fertilizer of 11 different brands and grades, including the six major grades (46-0-0, 14-14-14, 21-0-0, 16-20-0, 0-0-60, and 18-46-0). Of these, 897 bags weighed less than the standard 50-kg net weight per bag.

Dr. Mula briefed the representatives of the enterprises on the importance of following the right specs for fertilizers not only with the declared nutrient standards but including the net weight declared on the product label, and the implication of those off-specs and how it can affect not only the fertilizer handlers, but most especially the farmers, as end-users.

Furthermore, he advised the fertilizer handlers to have random weighing every delivery of fertilizer, and report cases of underweight bags to their corresponding suppliers. For more accurate weight measurements, he also recommended to use a well-calibrated electronic weighing scale.

Additionally, Dr. Mula cautioned the business owners to be vigilant against the spread of off-specs fertilizer products (underweight, unregistered, and substandard) in the market.

The ramifications of non-compliance can be extensive, impacting not only the revenue of distributors and dealers but moreover the farmers’ value for money when buying fertilizers. Similarly, since fertilizer recommendations are on a per-bag basis, off-specs fertilizers can have a detrimental effect on the nutrient requirements of plants. Underdosage will have a negative impact on the crop productivity and yield, resulting to low income of farmers.

The monitoring team took note of the issues and concerns raised at the stakeholder’s meetings, these are important inputs to be used in the revision of the Fertilizer Regulatory Policies and Implementing Guidelines (Bluebook). To ensure the integrity of the fertilizer market, Dr. Mula asked the handlers to fully collaborate with the FPA in enforcing these restrictions. The meeting was organized by FPA SOCCSKARGEN, and was held in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, and Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, on March 4-5, 2024.

The FPA also advises the public, particularly farmers, to weigh fertilizer bags before purchasing them, examine them for physical flaws (such as a ripped or torn sack), and request a replacement if necessary. ###

  Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Online ISSN: 2815-1674
  Published by the FPA Information and Communications Team