Phl, UAE to strengthen agri ties

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is looking to strengthen agricultural ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to boost high-value exports to the country and other Middle Eastern states.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ranibai Dilangalen, who recently hosted the first halal food festival in Abu Dhabi, said the UAE government has expressed interest to invest more in the local farm sector.

“We are already fast tracking our memorandum of understanding between the DA (Department of Agriculture) and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment which is the counterpart of the DA,” Dilangalen told The STAR.

“The MOU will call for the exchange of experts, skills, and technology between the two countries not only in terms of halal, but also  in the entirety of agriculture and fisheries and they are interested to invest in our aquaculture especially in tuna and grouper and also vegetables and fruits,” she said.

While no trade value has been finalized yet, Dilangalen said UAE is looking at leasing properties in the Philippines to capitalize and produce crops and high-value products that would be sent back to UAE.

Around 85 to 90 percent of UAE’s fruits and vegetables are imported from various sources. A small portion of the Philippines’ mangoes and bananas goes to the Middle Eastern country.

“We are hoping that the signing and approval of the MOU would happen in Davao during the first quarter of 2018. This will increase our technical and technological knowledge and other possible collaboration of projects and programs on agriculture as a whole,” Dilangalen said.

In particular, the DA is focusing on tapping the huge and lucrative halal market in the Middle East to expand food exports and revitalize agri-fishery and agribusiness enterprises.

The DA is now applying for accreditation with the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology for the export of halal products, as well as improving ties with the International Halal Accreditation Forum.

“The advantage is that if we are going to export halal products in those member-countries, it would entail less requirements and less process,” Dilangalen said.

“But it really depends on us. The problem is on our production. They have demands not just in UAE, but also for other parts of the Middle East, very high demand but we cannot supply,” she added.

With this, the DA has approved that the halal program be part of the department’s banner programs with an initial P44 million budget next year.