Avocado industry bids to tap Japanese market

The Department of Agriculture is gearing up for the development of the country’s avocado industry in a bid to tap the P150 billion Japanese market and strengthen global trade.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the agency is set to negotiate with the agriculture minister of Japan to allow Philippine avocados for possible test shipping and test marketing.

“This would determine whether our avocados could pass the standards of the Japanese market because we would like to get a slice of that huge market which earns P150 billion for other countries which are even very far from Japan,” he added.

The Japanese market imports about P150 billion worth of avocados every year from South American countries like Peru, Chile, Brazil and Mexico.

He noted that Dole Philippines Inc., the country’s pioneer banana exporter, is already starting to develop the industry in Mindanao with close to 400 hectares already planted with avocados.

Piñol said the Philippines has a great advantage to market its avocado produce considering the country’s significantly closer proximity to Japan and a better climate for production.

“If Japan opens its market for our avocados and if we are able to develop this industry, this would not only boost agricultural production but also boost efforts to protect our forests and watersheds,” he added.

Piñol said avocados could be planted in mountainous and even watershed areas.

Aside from avocados, Piñol is also set to negotiate the country’s banana exports with Japan. –