Japan widens door for PH bananas – Agri dept
Credit to Author: EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ| Date: Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:14:55 +0000
Japan has softened on long-standing issues on market access for agricultural products of the Philippines, particularly on tariffs for local bananas following the bilateral meeting between the governments of both countries, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Thursday.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol met with Takamuri Yoshikawa, Japan’s minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (MAFF) on Wednesday for a “one-on-one engagement,” which aimed to lay programs related to agricultural trade between the two countries.
“Yoshikawa promised to fasttrack the processing of documents and requirements related to the issues raised by the Philippine government during President Duterte’s visit,” said Piñol, who was received by Yoshikawa at the MAFF Headquarters in Tokyo.
Piñol was one of the cabinet members who joined the Philippine delegation in Japan as President Duterte discussed with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe the cooperation in infrastructure development, trade and investments, agriculture, labor, defense maritime security and maritime domain awareness, among others.
During the official visit, the DA sought approval from its Japanese counterpart for the long-standing proposal to lower tariffs on Cavendish bananas. Currently, Philippine bananas are slapped with a 2.5-percent tariff during the off-season for Japanese fruits and a high of 18 percent during the contry’s harvesting season.
Also was the exemption from 100 percent inspection of banana exporting companies who are compliant to the minimum residue level of chemicals set by Japanese health authorities.
In his meeting with Yoshikawa, Piñol presented a copy of a Department Order he signed lifting the ban on the importation of four fish species from Fukushima Prefecture. Species covered by the lifting of the ban include Cherry Salmon, Sand Lance, Japanese Dace, and Ayu. Piñol said the move was a ‘gesture of goodwill’ in compliance with the commitment made by Duterte to Abe that the ban would be lifted.
Meanwhile, Piñol lauded Japan’s recognition of the Philippines’ status as a foot-and-mouth disease-free (FMD) country, as declared by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). FMD is a transboundary animal disease (TAD) that severely affects the production of livestock and disrupting regional and international trade in animals and animal products, OIE said. The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
Piñol also said the Philippines is also hoping that the Japanese government would fasttrack the market access of Philippine avocado. Piñol also met with the ambassador for International Agricultural Trade of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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