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The Department of Agriculture has extended to end-June the deadline for the issuance of fish and seafood import permits
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This will give importers time to adjust to new guidelines aimed at easing food inflation and improving allocation efficiency
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Only about a quarter of the approved 25,000 metric tons of fish imports allowed early this year has been brought into the country so far
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With the extension, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed confidence the remaining import volume would be fully utilized
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has extended to end-June the deadline for the issuance of fish and seafood import permits. The extension gives importers more time to adjust to new guidelines that are aimed at easing food inflation and improving allocation efficiency, the agency said in a statement.
Earlier this year, DA approved the importation of up to 25,000 metric tons (mt) of fish and seafood—primarily for the food service, tourism and hospitality industries—from March to May 2025 under DA Memorandum Order (MO) No. 12-2025.
However, only about a quarter of that volume has been brought into the country so far, the DA said in a statement.
As a result, DA on May 27 approved MO 27-2025, amending MO 12-2025 and extending the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance to June 31, 2025.
Moreover, qualified importers who have yet to utilize their initial allocation of 56 mt and subsequent 140 mt may apply for the combined allocation until May 23.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. attributed the low uptake to overly tight importation timelines and sourcing constraints. “It’s more of a systemic issue than low demand,” the DA chief said in a statement.
“The timeframes we set were too short, and many of the approved products were out of season in their countries of origin. It was also challenging for some importers to meet requirements tied to larger volume allocations,” he added.
The approved list of imports includes a wide range of species—from salmon, cod, and tuna by-products to squid, scallops, octopus, and lobster—none of which are locally sourced in sufficient quantities.
The only exception to the import list is sardines.
“We allowed sardine imports because it was off-season in some of our local fishing grounds, and sardines are the most affordable fish available to help address inflation concerns,” Tiu Laurel said.
Importers accredited under Fish Administrative Order (FAO) No. 195 and those registered under FAO 259 are eligible for fish import allocations through the Certificate of Necessity to Import, which permits importation during the closed fishing season. Eligibility is subject to the guidelines in MO 12-2025.
FAO 195 covers the importation of fresh, chilled, or frozen fish and aquatic products, while FAO 259 applies specifically to imports for wet markets during the closed season.
With the policy adjustments in place, Tiu Laurel expressed confidence the remaining import volume would be fully utilized.
