The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has collected a total of P18.9 billion in duties from rice imports, and P3.75 billion from pork imports in 2021.
In his recent report to the Department of Finance (DOF), BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said last year’s collection from rice imports was 22 percent higher than the P15.5 billion collected in 2020.
The RCEF is used to finance programs that will sharpen the competitiveness of palay (rice grain) growers by providing them easy access to fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment, high-yield seeds and cheap credit; and offering skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern farming techniques.
For pork imports, Guerrero said the BOC collected P3.75 billion between April 9, 2021 to Jan. 28, 2022 from a total volume of 242 million kilograms. He, however, estimated that Customs has foregone P4 billion in revenues during this period as a result of the presidential orders lowering the import tariffs on pork.