. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/PHL/109 
7 August 2009  
 (09-3834) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  PHILIPPINES
  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Bureau of Agriculture and Fisher ies Product Standard, Department 
of Agriculture 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above :   
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) 
Department of Agriculture  BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue  Diliman,  Quezon City Philippines 
Tel.:  (632) 920-6131 
Fax:  (632) 455-2858 E-mail:  bafps@yahoo.com 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicab le, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):  Coconut Peat 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Draft Philippine 
National Standard (DPNS) for Grading and Classification of Coconut Peat     
6. Description of content:  This notification specifies requirements and establishes a system 
of grading and classifying coco peat, a product from extraction of fiber from coconut husks. It covers coco peat intended to be used as a growing medium in various grades and finished 
products for horticultural/agricultural use. This  excludes coco peat used for animal bedding.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the natu re of urgent problems where applicable:  
This notification was adopted from the draft im port health standard for importation of coco 
peat and coir fiber products of New Zealand.   Modifications were made based on existing 
commercial practices in order to tailor fit the standard to Philippine requirements, 
particularly on the grading, packing and labelling. It aims to provide common understanding on the scope of the standard, product description, minimum requirements, 
grading, packaging, sampling and labelling requirements for product lot acceptance. For 
consumer protection and safety. G/TBT/N/PHL/109 
Page 2  
 
  8. Relevant documents:   The following referenced docum ents are indispensable for the 
application of this document: 
- Biosecurity New Zealand. (2008). Draft Impor t Health Standard for Importation of Coco 
Peat and Coir Fibre Products; 
- Evans, M. R. and Stamps, R.H. (undated). Development of Philippine Coir Dust as A 
Productive Substrate for the Horticultural Mark et (A Final Report), Manila, Philippines. 
46pp 
- Fiber Industry Development Authority (1 999). Revised Administrative Order No.1, 
Chapter 3: Baling, Tagging, Marking and Inspection of Fibers.     
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }This order shall take effect 15 days after its 
publication in an official gazette of general circulation 
10. Final date for comments:  30 September 2009 
11. Text available from: National enquiry point [ X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:    
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS) 
Department of Agriculture  BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue  Diliman,  Quezon City Philippines Tel.:  (632) 920 6131 
Fax:  (632) 455 2858 
E-mail:  bafps@yahoo.com