The Philippines is keen on exporting poultry and livestock products, as well as vegetables and grains, to Singapore by the first quarter of next year to provide an additional market to local farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said Singaporean Ambassador to the Philippines Kok Li Peng showed “great interest” in importing pork, chicken, eggs, vegetables and rice products from the Philippines.
“The Philippines and Singapore today [Monday] agreed to fast-track agricultural trading negotiations to allow the export of pork, chicken and eggs, vegetables and shrimps to the tiny but rich country by early next year,” Piñol said on Monday.
Piñol met with Li Peng on Monday morning to discuss the possibility of exporting farm products, especially chicken eggs, to Singapore and make the Philippines its alternative food supplier.
Piñol said he made the visit to Li Peng following reports quoting Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore that it is looking for chicken and egg suppliers after Malaysia reduced its shipment to the Southeast Asian nation.
During the meeting, both parties agreed that the AVA would send a team in March 2019 to inspect poultry facilities of the Philippines.
“But it could be earlier because the ambassador was very excited,” he said.
Piñol also disclosed that the Gokongwei-owned Universal Robina Corp. expressed interests to export eggs, chilled pork and chicken to Singapore. Dennis Palabrica of URC was present during the dialogue between the Philippines and Singapore, according to Piñol.
“The other things that Singapore is interested in are vegetables produced in Bukidnon, high-value rice such as brown rice and organic rice and vannamei shrimp,” he said.
Piñol said the only factor that may delay the shipment of Philippine farm goods to Singapore would be the Chinese New Year, when the latter is busy with its festivities.
Piñol did not disclose the projected amount of revenue by entering the Singaporean market but just said that the Philippines would try to fill in the gap in the supply that would be created by the reduction of Malaysian agricultural shipments.
Image credits: PNA