THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has assured its Philippine counterpart during President Arroyo’s working visit to the US that it will speed up the processing of quarantine protocols to enable Filipino growers to export hard green bananas to the mainland.

USDA executives have also agreed with visiting Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, led by Secretary Arthur Yap, to implement right away an initial two projects on the biotechnology training of Filipino scientists in American universities and a US agricultural trade and investment mission to Mindanao within 2008.

These projects and commitments were reached in separate meetings between USDA officials, led by Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer, and Yap, along with Agriculture Assistant Secretary Josyline Javelosa and Philippine agricultural attaché Victoriano Leviste following the recent signing of the Framework Agreement on Cooperation on Agriculture and Related Fields during the Washington leg of President Arroyo’s 10-day working visit to the US.

Yap and Schafer also met after the signing ceremony “to discuss areas for immediate collaboration.”

The DA said Schafer assured Yap that the processing of the protocol for Philippine bananas will be speeded up by the USDA.

Meanwhile, a project will be undertaken under the Norman Borlaug Program, whereby Filipino scientists in the field of biotechnology will be sent for training and joint research with scientists in US universities.

Also, a training program on cocoa production will be provided to Filipino farmers.

The second project up for implementation, the DA said, is the agricultural trade and investment mission of US’ enterprises to the Philippines. The mission, which will focus on Mindanao, may take place in the latter part of 2008.

Yap also requested USDA officials to assist in matching the expertise and investments of US enterprises to Mindanao’s upland rice and vegetable farmers in support of the country’s rice-sufficiency plan and upland vegetable producers.

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US assures RP during GMA visit it will speed up processing of protocols for banana exports

THE United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has assured its Philippine counterpart during President Arroyo’s working visit to the US that it will speed up the processing of quarantine protocols to enable Filipino growers to export hard green bananas to the mainland.