The Philippines and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation during a high-level meeting between Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. and Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath Macdonald.
The two agriculture ministers met on August 3 at the Conrad Hotel in Manila as part of a renewed push to elevate Philippine-Canada agri-fishery trade and technical collaboration.
The meeting also tackled areas of mutual interest such as high-value crops, African Swine Fever (ASF) response, food security, and free trade negotiations. The ministers discussed the ongoing ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks and raised the prospect of a bilateral FTA to broaden market access and diversification.
A key outcome was the signing of a Joint Statement on Technical Collaboration between the Philippines’ Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The agreement focuses on plant health, capacity building, scientific and regulatory advancement, and the exchange of innovations to boost productivity.
The visit signified a pivotal step forward in bolstering Philippine-Canada agri-relations, aiming not only to enhance trade but also to empower farmers, fisherfolk, and food producers across both nations. ### (Photos by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)
