The Philippines is optimistic about the future of agricultural cooperation with Vietnam

Within the framework of the 3rd Meeting of the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Committee for Agricultural Cooperation, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep met with Mr. Asis G. Perez, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Philippines. The two Deputy Ministers agreed to promote sustainable development cooperation aimed at food security, enhance trade connectivity, and explore new business opportunities between the two countries.

This event marks a new advancement in bilateral cooperation, continuing the efforts of both Ministries of Agriculture following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in January 2024.

Welcoming the delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Deputy Minister Perez expressed his joy that the JCA meeting was held again after a 7-year hiatus. The Philippine Deputy Minister shared that Vietnam is the first country with which the Philippines established an official mechanism for rice supply through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

"We are optimistic about the future of agricultural cooperation between our two countries, based on mutual understanding and trust, and we affirm the important role of the Vietnam-Philippines Joint Committee for Agricultural Cooperation as a platform to address issues related to food and agriculture," said Mr. Perez.

On behalf of Minister Le Minh Hoan, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep thanked his Philippine counterparts for their continued support and promotion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in general, and specifically in the agriculture, forestry, and fishery sectors.

With this new commitment, Vietnam and the Philippines will enhance the sharing of market information and scientific and technological advancements, promote a long-term stable rice trade mechanism, and work towards establishing investment partnerships in the rice industry. This mechanism is expected to closely connect the needs of Filipino rice consumers and import businesses with Vietnamese rice farmers.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has requested the Philippines to support Vietnam's membership in the WCPFC (Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission) and proposed that both sides share experiences in developing and implementing onboard Fisheries Observer Programs and cooperate in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Ahead of the upcoming Fisheries Cooperation Committee meeting between the Philippines and Vietnam at the end of this year, Deputy Minister Hiep suggested that the Philippine side extend the hotline agreement on IUU fishing, which has expired since 2020.

The leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informed that Vietnam aims to enhance bilateral trade between the two countries, as there are still many untapped export potentials, including banana, coconut, durian, longan, dragon fruit, and various fresh vegetables and fruits. Vietnam proposed to implement measures related to the agricultural value chain and production in the Philippines and will provide a list of items capable of high-quality production.

Regarding livestock and veterinary issues, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep emphasized that both countries share common interests, such as facilitating the trade of eggs and meat. He also noted that capacity building is an essential part of cooperation, including providing specialized training courses.

In response to Vietnam's proposals, Deputy Minister Perez affirmed support for Vietnam's accession to the WCPFC. He also congratulated Vietnam on its notable success in introducing vaccines against African Swine Fever (ASF) and expressed a desire to promote the continued export of animal products to Vietnam.

The Philippine leadership also praised the National Plan for African Swine Fever Prevention and Control for the period 2020-2025, initiated in June 2020, which aims to proactively monitor for early detection, timely alerts, and effective disease control.

The Philippine Department of Agriculture hopes that Vietnam will continue to share experiences in policy development related to enhancing biosecurity in pig farming, implementing preventive measures when restocking, managing slaughtering and consumption of pork products, international cooperation, and strengthening communication to raise awareness and change behaviors.