APD | Philippines to enhance export potentials

By APD Wrtier Carmelo M. Acuña

MANILA – Agriculture Secretary William Dollente Dar said there are only two export products from the Philippines that amounted to US$1 billion or more.

In a bilateral meeting with the US-ASEAN Business Council in Brunei Darussalam the other day, Secretary Dar said these products are bananas and coconut oil.

“There are products now that are below US$500 million category and we want to elevate them so that they can go to the next level,” Dar said during the meeting. During the meeting the Philippine panel discussed possible areas and priorities for collaboration.

USABC is an advocacy group that pushes economic growth and trade ties between the United States and ASEAN member-states. This is the only US-based organization mentioned in the ASEAN charter.

USABC Senior Vice President for Policy Marc Mealy met with the Philippine panel. He was accompanied by other officials of different companies which presented specific areas and priorities.

Dr. Dar emphasized the need for the Philippines to have a more unified export development study that will enable to make the agriculture sector more competitive.

“We are looking at having a common export development study with the Department of Trade and Industry. We need to have a common approach so that we can elevate these products with export potentials. We also need to see to it that there are enough hectarages that can produce volume and quality of export products be it raw or processed,” he added.

To date, Philippine bananas are bought by Japan, China and South Korea in 2018.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)