RP bananas close to entering US mainland–DA

THE Department of Agriculture said local fresh bananas may be able to enter the US mainland if the Philippines puts mitigating measures against quarantine pests the USDA has identified.

Last month, the USDA issued its risk assessment report on Philippine fresh bananas and said that these may enter the country if such measures are put in place to address the 14 identified quarantine pests.

The Bureau of Plant Industry’s initial review of the USDA report revealed that some of the identified pests may not be present in the Philippines or do not attack hard green bananas.

“The USDA move brings us one step closer to our goal of providing our local banana growers the opportunity to penetrate the lucrative US mainland market,” Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.

He added that the positive development would not only increase farm production, but also to raise farmers’ incomes. This also helps in achieving DA’s goal of expanding markets and reduction of post-harvest losses.

Yap said the USDA will develop the risk management measures using its risk assessment report in consultation with the BPI.

The agriculture official also said the government is exploring the possible applications of available agricultural technologies developed by the USDA to further increase farm production and raise incomes in the Philippine countryside.

“The Philippines and the US can collaborate in the field of agricultural science and technology as a promising way to hasten the development of practical agricultural technologies to help improve productivity in Philippine farms,” Yap said.

In December 2005, the Philippine government has requested the US to allow fresh bananas to enter the US mainland. This was followed by a request for entry into Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands in September 2007.

The Philippines currently exports fresh banana to Japan, Korea, Middle East, New Zealand and China.–Ira Karen Apanay, Senior Reporter, Manila Times