THE Philippines and Canada have renewed their commitment to enhance their agricultural cooperation.
This comes almost a week after Canada recognized greater opportunities to improve trade with Manila in light of the United States’ tariff policy.
In a statement on Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the two agriculture ministers renewed their push for greater ties, as they seek to elevate Philippine-Canada agri-fishery trade and technical collaboration.
Aside from renewing their relations, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald also tackled areas of mutual interest.
These include high-value crops, African Swine Fever (ASF) response, food security and free trade negotiations.
“Canada remains a vital partner in supporting our vision for a more globally-competitive agriculture sector,” Tiu Laurel said.
Tiu Laurel and MacDonald discussed the ongoing talks between Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the prospect of a free trade agreement (FTA) to broaden market access and diversification.
The Bureau of Plant Industry and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency signed a joint statement centering on plant health, capacity building, scientific and regulatory advancement, as well as the exchange of innovations to boost productivity.
MacDonald said earlier that the uncertainty over America’s tariffs on several trade partners provides a window of opportunity to expand trade with the Philippines, noting that Canada “can be a trusted partner” in global trade.
Canada is keen to bolster trade of key products like beef, seafood and malting barley.
David Hartman, Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines, had said the two countries were engaged in “scoping discussions” regarding a potential FTA, although formal negotiations have not yet started.
“There will be some forthcoming significant opportunities at a political level,” Hartman said. “These are the types of agreements that I think there’s a lot of political desire to be able to conclude quickly.”
Government data provided by the DA showed total agricultural trade between the two countries reached a peak of $568 million in 2022, surging by 73.7 percent from $327 million in 2020.
It reached a cumulative $2.39 billion between 2020 and 2024, the agency said.
Tiu Laurel said the Philippines’ agri-fishery exports to Canada expanded to $148 million in 2024—the strongest performance in five years — from $109 million in 2020. (Jordeene B. Lagare © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
