The Philippines and Egypt have taken steps to deepen their agriculture trade ties as agreed during a bilateral meeting last week, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. met with Egyptian Ambassador Nader Nabil Zaki on June 5 to explore broader market access for high-value Philippine produce, particularly mangoes and bananas, the DA said in the statement.
The discussions have been part of a larger effort to diversify export destinations and unlock new trade opportunities in strategically located and fast-growing markets such as North Africa.
Egypt, which is Africa’s second-largest economy, recently opened its doors to Philippine durian exports, the DA said.
“They already granted us access for durian. We are hopeful they will do the same for our mangoes and bananas,” Tiu Laurel said.
In return for the market access for durian, as well as the potential export of bananas and mangoes in the North African country, Egyptian grapes and ware potatoes’ Pest Risk Assessments
and food safety analyses were being finalized, as of Wednesday.
The opportunity of sourcing garlic and onions from Egypt has been explored as the two countries have started planning the technical assistance and information exchange for the two commodities in the near future, the DA said.
Both the Philippines and Egypt acknowledged the potential for mutually beneficial trade growth, particularly in agri-food products that align with consumer preferences and seasonal demand.
While current trade between the Philippines and Egypt is at a modest level of about $7.5 million annually, the agriculture department has expressed optimism about future trade between the two countries, calling Egypt the gateway to larger regional markets in Africa and the Middle East.
The Philippines primarily exports desiccated coconut and carrageenan to Egypt, while importing items such as broths, soups, and dried kidney beans, the DA said.
