Australia to allow entry of Philippine pineapples

Australia is finally allowing the Philippines to export fresh pineapples, renewing hopes of the two countries ending their bitter trade row over the lucrative tropical fruit market.

"After three successful trial shipments of fresh pineapples to Australia, Filipino exporters can begin commercial-scale shipments to Australia," said Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban.

He said Dole Philippines has, in fact, loaded 8,000 kilograms of fresh pineapples already on its way to Brisbane.

Panganiban noted that Biosecurity Australia (BA) agreed to allow the trial shipments to be fumigated using its proposed methyl bromide treatment which rids pineapples of all insects and pests while also prolonging the fruit’s shelf life.

"The Philippine pineapple industry finally decided to try the existing Australian protocol and sent three trial shipments. The results seem very satisfactory and now the first commercial shipment is realized," Panganiban said, citing a report submitted by Philippine Agricultural Attache in Canberra Maria Araceli E. Albarace.

Moreover, Australia indicated it is willing to consider other fumigation methods such as hydrocyanic acid and adopt equivalent alternative phytosanitary measures.

Previously, Australia also insisted that it will only accept decrowned pineapples which will involve removing outer leaves. This was intended to appease Canberra’s concerns on weed seeds that could be present in the crown.

Panganiban said that BA also agreed to waive the decrowning requirement.

BA, the agency tasked to assess quarantine risks in animal and plant imports, also earlier insisted that the Philippines applies methy bromide as a fumigant on its pineapple exports.

Panganiban expressed optimism that with pineapple exports already accepted in Australia, it would be easier to press for the country’s bid to penetrate Australia’s equally lucrative banana market.

"Banana exports will soon follow because we have less problems with this commodity," he said.

He said, however, that the Philippines won’t be dropping its complaint against Canberra which it filed in 2000 before the World Trade Organization (WTO) for allegedly using quarantine issues as a trade barrier.

"The complaint pertains more to our banana exports," said Panganiban.

Since the 1990s, Australia had repeatedly thwarted attempts by the Philippines to bring its tropical fruits to Australian ports.

The BA cited possible transmission and spread of banana diseases like Black Sigatoka, Moko, freckles and mealy bugs.

The Philippines had filed a protest before the WTO against Australia for banning Philippine mangoes, pineapples and bananas. Australia only allows limited entry of canned mangoes from the Philippines.

The Philippines and Australia are both members of the Cairns Group, which has emerged as a power bloc in the WTO.

While belonging to the same group, the Philippines accused Australia of blocking its farm exports by imposing austere quarantine and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, a former agriculture secretary, had called Australia "as the worst violator of the use of quarantine measures as non-tariff barriers."

In its Import Risk Analysis Report in July 2003, the BA required the Philippines to use methyl bromide as fumigant for pineapples and decrown the fruits before shipment.

Filipino exporters, however, claimed that using the fumigant would result in discoloration of pineapple while the decrowning would shorten the fruit’s shelf life.

In reprisal, the Philippines had threatened to suspend importation of cattle, meat, beef and dairy products from Australia. The threat, however, remained at that.

While restricting its farm imports, Australia purchases from the Philippines computer chips, electrical distribution equipment, telecommunications equipment, radio broadcast receivers, furniture, machinery and transport equipment, mechanical handling equipment, chemicals and related products, and other electrical machinery.

Australia is the 14th largest export market of the Philippines and accommodated nearly one percent of its products. It was also the Philippines’ 13th largest source of imports.