‘Emerging export winners’ pushed

The country’s agriculture chief has urged exporters to widen their product range this year to increase the country’s export markets.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that aside from the country’s top agricultural exports like bananas and coconut oil, there were various products—both raw and processed—that would also do well in other countries.

These “emerging export winners” include fresh and processed tropical fruits, natural rubber, and other coconut products like coconut water and coconut sugar. These products have been gaining momentum overseas but continue to be hampered by limited market access.

Last year, top Philippine agriculture exports contributed $5.88 billion, or 9.1 percent of the country’s total exports, 30 percent of which came from the bananas. INQ