BPI Modernization Hailed for Boosting Food Safety, Exports

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday hailed the modernization of its Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) as a major success in strengthening food safety and security and expanding export markets through science and digital technology. “Our goal is to build a Bureau of Plant Industry that is proactive, science-driven and responsive to the needs of farmers, consumers and exporters,” BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said in a statement. “Every laboratory we build, every digital platform we develop and every market we open strengthens confidence in Philippine agriculture and creates more opportunities for our producers,” he added. Among the key advances cited by the DA was the establishment of a P55-million Nitrates and Nitrites Analysis Laboratory, which can detect chemical residues in plant-based food and help ensure compliance with local and international food safety standards. The BPI has also launched a Mobile Food Safety Laboratory, which has analyzed 604 agricultural samples from 16 provinces and cities across the country, according to the DA. “Instead of waiting for produce to reach central laboratories, inspectors can now test crops directly in public markets, Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets, farms and rice mills for pesticide residues, heavy metals and other contaminants,” the department said. The DA also cited the deployment of a Rice Quality Analyzer capable of evaluating hundreds of rice samples to help verify product labels, detect adulteration and support the government’s P20-per-kilo rice program. To expand its reach, the BPI has also opened satellite offices in Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. As part of its digitalization efforts, the BPI launched the One Stop Industry Revitalization and Information System (OSiRiS), which currently tracks more than 1,100 food business operators. “At the same time, digital pest surveillance platforms allow authorities to identify and respond to crop threats more quickly,” the DA said. The department also highlighted the opening of new export markets for Philippine agricultural products, including fresh young coconuts for Jordan and frozen calamansi for South Korea. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the BPI’s modernization efforts could help raise farmers’ incomes while strengthening the Philippines’ reputation in the global agricultural market. “BPI's work protects public health, strengthens our farmers' competitiveness and opens new trade opportunities that generate higher incomes while reinforcing the Philippines' reputation as a reliable supplier of quality agricultural products,” Tiu Laurel said.— MCG, GMA News