Illegal farm chemicals seized

As regulator and watchdog of the fertilizer and pesticides sector both for imported and local farm chemicals, the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority under Executive Director Glenn Estrada led operatives of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-NCR in confiscating P4 million worth of unregistered and unlicensed farm chemicals recently.

The FPA, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, said the enforcement operation came from a formal complaint it received implicating WLEX Company in the distribution of illegal agricultural inputs.

The products were recovered from a commercial establishment being used for unauthorized storage and distribution, Estrada said.

Among the seized items were 641 one-liter bottles of Axonic pesticide, 748 one-liter bottles of Sapphire pesticide, 220 one-liter bottles of Chlonil pesticide, four sacks of Welzeb, and multiple variants of the bio-stimulant Nutrinaro SC—5,590 sachets (10g), 345 sachets (50g), and 90 sachets (5g). Authorities also recovered 220 pieces and 800 packs of Norinano Plus (10g), along with three containers of unidentified chemical substances.

The FPA said the brands Axonic, Sapphire, Chlonil, and Welzeb are not registered with the agency and are considered illegal.

WLEX is also not licensed to handle pesticide products. Although the company once held a valid certification as a fertilizer importer and distributor, its license is only effective until December 7, 2024. Only one of its products, Norinano Plus Soil Conditioner, remains registered with the FPA until February 4, 2027.

Estrada said: “We are serious in our campaign against the proliferation of these adulterated and unregistered products that hurt not only legitimate businesses but our farmers and overall farm productivity. We will remain vigilant to ensure only legitimate products are sold to our farmers.”

All confiscated items have been turned over to the DA for safekeeping and legal documentation. Investigations are ongoing, and appropriate charges will be filed under existing laws.

The FPA urgeds farmers and agri-suppliers to purchase only from licensed dealers and to verify products through official FPA Alert Lines.

In its website, WLEX Company Philippines Incorporated, established in 2019, claimed to specialize in the agricultural needs of the Philippines and exports its products in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam. An affiliate of SAM NETWORK COMPANY LTD., located in Thailand, it manages the distribution and trading of our agricultural products.

Under WLEX are brands like Norinano, a plant supplement that strengthens back the soil that was weakened by agrochemical inputs; and plant nutrients such as Amino Gold Plus, Liquid Bio-N, Nutrinano Plus, and Arcoh Plus, composed mainly of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Altogether, they make up the triad known as NPK from Thailand that has the capacity to generate nutrients needed by the plants to increase their standard growth and development. We are licensed to operate as an accredited foliar fertilizer importer and we own the Norinano Plus fertilizer in the Philippines.

The FPA said only Norinano is registered with it but not any of its pesticides brands. .

DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. praised the swift enforcement action, describing it as a clear demonstration of government resolve to carry out the directive of President Marcos to protect farmers and local businesses against unfair and illicit trade practices.

Investigators found that the products had been repackaged locally and falsely advertised as imported, in an apparent effort to mislead buyers.