MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture exports are expected to increase to $4.5 billion this year from $3.8 billion last year, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup said yesterday.
The export growth this year, will come from seafood, traditional fruit exports such as mangoes and from vegetables such as okra, Salacup said.
According to Salacup, the Philippines will soon resume the export of fresh okra to Japan after the island nation lifted the import ban it imposed about three years ago on fresh okra from the Philippines following findings of unacceptable high levels of pesticide residue in the vegetable.
With the lifting of the import ban, he said Philippine okra imports would now be subject only to random inspection instead of the previous mandatory inspection of all okra imports at the port of entry which virtually makes the okra unmarketable.
The Philippines is hoping to regain its No. 1 position in the list of vegetable suppliers to Japan.
Salacup said the fresh okra export market is estimated at $8.75 million to $10.5 million based on a $3.50 per kilo price.
Japan imposed the import ban on Philippine fresh okra about three years ago following the detection by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of unacceptable high levels of pesticide residue in the vegetable.
Following the ban, Salacup said, exports of Philippine fresh okra dropped by 40 percent, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of $3.5 million.
Japan is the major export destination of Philippine okra.
In 2006, Philippine exports of fresh okra to Japan amounted to 2,500 metric tons.
In 2007, following the ban, exports of fresh okra dropped to 1,600 MT and further down to 1,425 MT in 2008.
With the lifting of the ban, the Philippine okra industry is hoping to increase its exports back to 2,500 MT and perhaps even increase it to 3,000 MT for fiscal year 2009-2010.
The industry, likewise, is hoping to go into added value processing such as vacuum packed okra which would make it acceptable to the European Union market. — Marianne Go, Philippine Star
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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