FPA inspects fertilizer area distributors in Albay and Camarines Sur
Written by : Gabriel B. Atole, Supervising Agriculturist | Published: 12 February 2024
ALBAY AND CAMARINES SUR | February 12, 2024 – To ensure the compliance and quality of fertilizers at distribution centers, Deputy Executive Director for Fertilizer Dr. Myer G. Mula led an intensive inspection of fertilizer area distributors in Albay and Camarines Sur on February 5 - 7, 2024.
The activity aims to verify the weight and quality of fertilizers in the provinces as the monitoring team visited a fertilizer area distributor in Albay and four area distributors in Camarines Sur.
A total of 721 bags of fertilizers were weighed using a digital weighing scale. Out of 721 bags, 247 bags were found to be underweight.
The owners were advised to perform random weight checks before accepting fertilizers from importers and manufacturers following the standard 50 kg net weight for fertilizer bags.
“Ensuring compliance and quality in fertilizer distribution is FPA’s commitment to upholding integrity and fairness within the agricultural sector. Fertilizer handlers must comply with the standard weights and quality of fertilizers,” Dr. Mula said.
He added that there are three main reasons on the importance of ensuring that each bag of fertilizer weighs 50 kg net. First, it ensures that farmers and fishers get the correct amount of fertilizer they are paying for. Second, distributor´s and dealer´s who purchase fertilizers from suppliers or importers will incur income losses due to underweight fertilizers. Third, underweight fertilizers can negatively impact the nutrient requirements of plants, as fertilizer recommendations are made on a per-bag basis, which affect productivity.
“We (FPA) are doing intensive inspections given our mission to uphold fairness and quality in fertilizer distribution, ultimately benefiting the agricultural community,” he emphasized.
Regional Officer Gabriel B. Atole, Provincial Officers Mr. Rodny P. Conda, Engr. Ardon Ryan E. Nee-Estuye, Engr. Cris L. Legazpi, Mr. Winsor L. Nueva, and Ms. Rosie T. Malazar composed the FPA monitoring team. ###
Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Online ISSN: 2815-1674
Published by the FPA Information and Communications Team
