PH, Cambodia deepen agri collaboration
The Philippines and Cambodia aim to enhance agricultural cooperation as they anticipate increased trade in commodities, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
On the sidelines of President Marcos’ state visit to Cambodia, the DA said the two countries had discussed deepening their collaboration on agricultural trade, food security and market access.
In a bilateral meeting, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring mutual food security and promoting sustainable trade.
“This bilateral meeting is a step forward to flesh out the agreement signed earlier this year by the Philippines and Cambodia on agricultural trade, cooperation and knowledge transfer,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement on Wednesday.
Dith said Cambodia was anticipating an upswing in agricultural exports to the Philippines, particularly its premium aromatic rice, because of the growing demand in Manila and other urban areas.
Tiu Laurel said the government was prepared to accommodate more agricultural exports from Cambodia as part of a wider move to enhance bilateral trade and food supply resilience.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on Agricultural and Agribusiness Cooperation in February aimed at boosting investments in Cambodia’s agriculture sector, such as expanding rice production, with opportunities to establish rice milling facilities.
