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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider PH to focus on agri products in PJEPA review

PH to focus on agri products in PJEPA review

Published Feb 15, 2023 04:32 pm

The Philippines will focus on market access for agricultural products once the Japanese agrees to a definite schedule for a general review of their bilateral free trade agreement - Philippines Japan Economic Partnership (PJEPA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

DTI’s Special Trade Representative to Japan Dita Angara-Mathay told reporters for the debriefing of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visit in Japan that the Philippines is trying to schedule the next general review of the bilateral free trade agreement.

“We’re really pushing hard to really pin them down on honest general review. We have a lot of offensive interest in agriculture,” said Mathay as he noted of local banana and pineapple growers for greater market access of their produce.

Aside from agriculture, the Philippines needs bigger access for Filipino nurses and caregivers.

All these issues are being pushed by the DTI team on the ground in Japan to schedule for the review.

The Japanese side refused to include the agricultural market issues in the agenda during the recent visit of President Marcos to Japan, insisting that the PJEPA is the appropriate venue to discuss the Philippines issues on tropical fruits.

Of the fruits, Mathay said that the Philippines would like Japan to remove the seasonal tariffs on bananas to be at par with the banana exports from Ecuador. The Philippines used to account for roughly 90 percent of Japan’s banana requirements in Japan, but has been losing market share to 70 at present because of the cheaper bananas from Ecuador. Banana exports from Mexico and Peru are also entitled to zero duty.

But DTI Assistant Secretary Glenn Penaranda noted that Japanese still prefer the Philippine bananas.

“I would like to share though that we have a dominant position because our banana really tastes better,” he said. Also, the Philippines’ location is an advantage unlike Ecuador.

The country’s banana supply is also secured especially with the integrated farming by Itochu with 30,000 employees and augmenting other banana growers in the south. The DTI is also helping Itochu to make the company become more competitive.

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agriculture bananas review PJEPA
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