US agricultural trade mission in Philippines to ink three deals
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 40 US-based agribusinesses, farm organizations, and representatives from state departments of agriculture are on a trade mission to ink three deals for agricultural opportunities in the Philippines.
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator Daniel Whitley is leading the group, aided by the FAS office based in Manila.
“I’m confident the next few days will offer an abundance of opportunities for both the United States and the Philippines,” Whitley said in a statement on Monday.
They will be meeting with local companies in hopes of inking deals that allow American food and farm products to be imported into the Philippines.
In the last five years, the Philippines has been listed as the eighth-largest export market for US agricultural products at $3.1 billion.
"We have a diverse group of US agribusinesses and industry officials joining us in Manilla who can provide reliable, high-quality, and sustainably-produced US food and farm products to local buyers," Whitney said.
A US Department of Agriculture-backed program to help combat African swine fever (ASF) will also be launched in the coming days. Some cities such as Zamboanga del Sur’s Zamboanga City are under the red zone classification of the Philippine Department of Agriculture after ASF was detected in 15 barangays.
Meanwhile, the state departments of agriculture will also formalize trade opportunities with Batangas through a memorandum of understanding.
The US Grains Council and Mariano Marcos State University will also forge ties to focus on supporting biofuel solutions and climate smart practices. — Kaycee Valmonte
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