April 24, 2014

The Philippines might soon export poultry products to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the country's agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

"We are just waiting for the finalisation of the accreditation of halal. If we need to lobby that to their Ministry of Agriculture, then we will do it. That is the only thing we are waiting for because we are bird-flu free so we have an advantage," Alcala said.

Alcala said the agency planned to export all kinds of chicken products. He said the Philippines had passed the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements imposed by UAE.

The department also announced the Korean Quarantine Inspection Agency allowed the entry of Filipino poultry products.

Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said in a recent report agricultural trade deficit fell 52.6% from US$3.1 billion in 2012 to US$1.5 billion in 2013. Agricultural exports climbed 25.4% to US$6.3 billion in 2013 from US$5.03 billion recorded a year ago. Farm imports declined 4.5% to US$7.8 billion in 2013 from US$8.2 billion in 2012.

Export earnings from the top 10 exports, which include coconut oil, bananas, tuna, pineapple, tobacco, centrifugal sugar, copra oil cake, seaweeds and carrageenan, desiccated coconut and shrimps and prawns climbed 25.8% to US$4.2 billion from US$3.4 billion.

Data showed exchange of agricultural commodities with Japan recorded a trade surplus for the Philippines of US$794 million while trade with the EU yielded a surplus of US$376 million.

BAS said imports of rice, urea, manufactured fertiliser and coffee declined in 2013 while inbound shipments of corn, soy, milk cream and unmanufactured tobacco increased during the period.