Department of Agriculture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban welcomed the delegates from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) led by Agricultural Counselor Michael Ward and Agricultural Attaché Mark Hanzel during their courtesy visit to the DA on August 14, 2023.
Senior Undersecretary Panganiban shared the DA’s priority programs under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that focus on improving the production of rice, corn, high value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries and developing high-quality products for export.
Ward, on the other hand, expressed his hope that the DA and USDA can deepen their partnership and find ways to collaborate on the areas of agricultural biotechnology, statistics, food safety, regulatory development, and trade.
The DA official conveyed the country’s interest to increase the value of agricultural exports to the United States and expand the volume of those that already have market access such as fresh pineapple, young coconut, durian, and mangosteen.
The United States is the Philippines’ top trading partner for agriculture, fisheries, and food products with total trade amounting to USD5.22 billion in 2022. The US has also been a significant source of investments, technology, and technical assistance that help advance the productivity and sustainability of the local agriculture sector. ###
