AGRICULTURAL exports broke into three new international markets, despite the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the local community quarantines.
But Senen Perlada, director at the trade department’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) warned COVID-19 may lead to market access issues and non-tariff measures as countries strive to protect their own markets.
Perlada said it may be more difficult to comply with stricter regulations, certifications, external and domestic regulations.
But Perlada assured the EMB is committed to assist exporters, especially micro, small and medium enterprises, to comply with these requirements and introduce their products to the world.
The EMB reported that in the past two months, maiden shipments of avocados arrived in China, cacao in Belgium, and coconut milk in Russia.
Philippine avocados officially entered China through a 7.7-ton shipment from the fruit company Dole Philippines. The avocados were shipped from Davao and arrived on the Dole China processing plant in Shanghai on March 31. The avocados will be first sold by Alibaba Group’s supermarket chain Hema Xiansheng and will be available in more stores in the future.
Auro Chocolate brought Philippine cacao beans to the European market through a shipment to Antwerp, Belgium on April 16.
The shipment, which brought 20,000 kilograms of Mindanao-sourced, premium cacao beans, was composed of five different cacao varieties, including the Paquibato Origin, winner of the Cocoa Excellence Award in 2019.
Philippine brand Coco Daily organic coconut milk arrived at the port of Saint Petersburg first week of April. Russian importer PanAsia Impex Ltd. said that the one-liter packages of Coco Daily that arrived in the 40-foot shipping container will be available to mainstream consumers during the spring in Russia, which typically runs from March to May.
“Now is the time for Philippine agricultural products to thrive,” Perlada said.
