Philippines temporarily expands allowed items for seafood imports

On July 2, 2025, the Philippines issued "Memorandum Order 33," which temporarily expands the varieties of seafood allowed for import. According to the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, this memorandum modifies the import quotas for frozen seafood set in Memorandum Order 12 issued in May 2025, including the application period, product condition requirements, and import varieties. The Philippine authorities had previously announced Memorandum Order 12, approving a total import quota of 25,000 tons of seafood until May 30, 2025, to ensure domestic food supply and price stability. Under this memorandum, seafood imports are only allowed if a Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) has been issued in accordance with the "Administrative Order on Seafood Imports (FAO 195)," and only the specified quantity and varieties can be imported within the period allowed by the Department of Agriculture. Previously, the allowed import items were limited to frozen seafood, but ...