PH seeking new export markets for sugar, bananas
By Riza T. Olchondra
The Philippines is seeking new markets for sugar and bananas to boost agro-based exports, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said.
The Philippines is seeking new markets for sugar and bananas to boost agro-based exports, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said.
Japanese firm Sumifru Banana Corp., Land Bank of the Philippines and banana growers in areas hard-hit by Typhoon “Pablo” are set to sign a tripartite agreement to rehabilitate affected banana plantations in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.
Damage to agriculture due to Typhoon “Pablo” has reached P11.23 billion as of Dec. 10, 2012, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported Tuesday.
The Plant Quarantine Service of the Department of Agriculture has certified that 312 packing plants belonging to two major banana exporter groups have passed the quality standards set by the Chinese government.
Business leaders in Mindanao and government agriculture officials exchanged barbs on Sunday over who was to blame for the recent quarantine problems encountered by Philippine banana exports to China.
Former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has warned that Philippine tropical fruits being sent to China could also suffer the fate of Cavendish bananas.
The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) may not meet its target growth in exports this year due to restrictions by China, an industry leader said.
Mindanao fruit exporters said the foreign office got it all wrong when it announced that only 150 container vans filled with bananas, and not 1,500 as the Inquirer had originally reported, were being held for quarantine inspection by authorities in various ports in China.
Officials of the Department of Agriculture will go to China this week to check on stranded banana shipments in response to China’s claim that Philippine bananas have been attacked by pests, according to agriculture officials.
President Benigno Aquino on Monday told banana exporters reeling from the stringent rules imposed on their product by China not to put all their eggs in one basket and to diversify their market.
The Board of Investments (BoI) has approved a P216-million banana production project, which is seen to help boost the country’s exports to key markets and create more than 300 new jobs.
A group representing banana growers and exporters has urged government to aggressively negotiate for reduced tariffs in countries where the Philippines exports its products. While the Philippines remains the dominant supplier of fresh bananas to Japan, South Korea, China and New Zealand, the local banana industry is apprehensive that it may lose its market shares [...]
