DOA ORDER NO. 01, S. 2005, March 14, 2005

[ DOA ORDER NO. 01, S. 2005, March 14, 2005 ]

SPECIAL SAFEGUARDS (SSG) DUTY ON THE IMPORTATION OF ONIONS

Hon. Cesar A.V. Purisima Secretary, Department of Finance DOF-BSP Complex Roxas Blvd., Manila

Attention: Commissioner Alberto Lina Bureau of Customs

Dear Secretary Purisima:

This concerns the imposition of the price-based Special Safeguards (SSG) Duty on the importation of onions under Tariff Code 0703.10 00, pursuant to Customs Memorandum Order No. 37-2004.

In a letter dated 20 January 2005, we requested the temporary lifting of the imposition of SSG duty on imported onions due to the shortage of supply at the time.

As you may be aware, the months of February to May is the harvest season of onions and it is the view of the industry, which is in turn supported by data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics and the Bureau of Plant Industry that there is enough supply of onion to last at least for the first half of the present year.

In light of this, we are requesting the reinstatement of the SSG duty imposition on imported onions under HS Code 0703.10 00 effective immediately.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

(SGD.) ARTHUR C. YAP Secretary

Adopted: 14 March 2005

Annex A

Volume, Value and Unit Price of Onion Imports 2001 to 2004

Year Volume (in kg.)

CIF Value (PhP)

Unit Price (PhP)

2002 6,751,575

51,879,989

7.68

2003 11,584,228

91,939,692

7.94

2004 6,367,345

53,669.241

8.43

Average 8,234,383

65,829,641

8.02

Year 2004

January 194,000

1,583,493

8.16

February - -

- -

- -

March - -

- -

- -

April - -

- -

- -

May 54,000

723,755

13.40

June 501,640

4,069,535

8.11

July 1,890,800

18,182,389

9.62

August 959,520

8,484,733

8.84

September 776,760

6,880,833

8.86

October 581,350

3,605,399

6.20

November 1,409,275

10,139,104

7.19

Source: National Statistics Office