Philippines, Japan target stronger agri trade, tech links

The Philippines is ramping up efforts to expand its agricultural trade with Japan, with Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. pressing Tokyo for better market access for Philippine produce and the removal of tariffs on bananas—one of the country’s top exports.

Secretary Tiu Laurel met with Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Ministers Meeting, where both sides discussed boosting trade, advancing technology transfer, and strengthening sustainability initiatives.

“Yes, that was definitely discussed in our bilateral meeting. The Minister (Koizumi) promised to look into it. I told him the Philippine will persistently pursue this. I really hope we can resolve this issue as soon as possible,” Laurel said, referring to the 18 percent tariffs imposed on Philippine bananas.

Despite being Japan’s primary banana supplier, the Philippines’ share of the market slipped to 75 percent in 2024 from 94 percent in 2023. Laurel added that the Philippines is exploring bilateral agreements to fast-track tariff relief, aside from pursuing duty-free access through ASEAN’s CEPT scheme.

Japan, which imported over USD 1 billion worth of Philippine agriculture and fishery products in 2024, is also pushing for access to the Philippine market for its fresh grapes, with a pest risk analysis already filed with the Bureau of Plant Industry.

Beyond trade, Laurel welcomed Japan’s continued support through the ASEAN-Midori Cooperation Plan and the Philippines-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Agriculture, which he proposed expanding to fisheries, smart farming, mechanization, R&D, and pest and disease management.

The talks also included Japan’s proposal to accelerate implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), particularly for rice farming using Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technology. “This could become the world’s first bilateral carbon credit program in the agriculture sector,” Laurel noted, highlighting its potential to cut emissions while supporting sustainable production.

Laurel also confirmed the Philippines’ interest in joining GREENxEXPO 2027 in Yokohama, citing growing private sector involvement in horticulture and high-value crop exports.

With the 70th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations between the two nations approaching in 2026, Laurel said the Philippines is eager to host the second Philippines-Japan Joint Committee on Agriculture next year, reaffirming that deeper cooperation with Japan will remain a strategic driver of agricultural modernization and investment.