Philippines, Japan deepen agricultural trade, tech cooperation

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi met on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Ministers Meeting to discuss deeper bilateral cooperation in agriculture, including enhanced trade, technology transfer, and sustainability efforts.

A key focus of the talks was increasing Philippine agricultural exports to Japan. Secretary Tiu Laurel requested improved market access for Philippine pomelo and reiterated the country’s long-standing appeal for the elimination of tariffs on fresh bananas, which currently face duties of up to 18 percent. Despite being Japan’s top banana supplier, the Philippines’ market share dropped to 75 percent in 2024 from 94 percent in 2023.

“Yes, that was definitely discussed in our bilateral meeting. The Minister (Koizumi) promised to look into it. I told him the Philippines will persistently pursue this. I really hope we can resolve this issue as soon as possible,” Tiu Laurel said.

He added, “But of course they have their position. The Philippines is also going through the avenue CEPT…on duty-free to Japan. But I might take time, a few years to complete. So we are looking at the angle of bilateral agreements to speed up the process.”

Japan, the Philippines’ second-largest importer of agriculture and fishery products in 2024 with purchases exceeding USD 1 billion, has also expressed interest in exporting fresh grapes to the Philippine market. Minister Koizumi confirmed that Japan has submitted a pest risk analysis and technical documents to the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture to support its request.

Beyond trade, both countries are exploring cooperation in technology and sustainability. Tiu Laurel welcomed Japan’s continued support under existing frameworks such as the ASEAN-Midori Cooperation Plan and the Philippines-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Agriculture. He proposed extending the MOC to cover fisheries and technical cooperation that will support modernization and digitalization of Philippine agriculture and fisheries.

These initiatives include smart agriculture, research and development, technology transfer, postharvest technology, mechanization, diagnostic laboratory upgrading, and pest and disease management.

Secretary Tiu Laurel also expressed gratitude for Japan’s recent donation of rice to calamity-affected communities through the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve - Tier 3 Program. He reaffirmed the Philippines’ interest in deepening ties ahead of the 70th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations in 2026, including hosting the second Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Agriculture at a mutually agreed date next year.

The meeting also addressed Japan’s proposal to accelerate the implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism between the two countries, particularly the adoption of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology for rice farming. Tiu Laurel noted the initiative’s potential to boost sustainable farming practices and reduce emissions.

In line with its green agenda, Japan invited the Philippines to participate in GREENxEXPO 2027, an international horticulture exhibition scheduled in Yokohama. Tiu Laurel confirmed the Department of Agriculture’s interest, highlighting growing private sector engagement in floriculture, horticulture, and high-value crop exports. Consultations with other government agencies are ongoing to determine the scope of the country’s participation.