More agri products identified for export to Russia

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is identifying other local products that may be exported to Russia as well as means of transporting products to the Eurasian country, Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Tuesday.

“We are now looking into products that may be exported to Russia. I’ve informed the President about this and he likes the idea,” he said in a briefing.

In May, the Philippines entered into a deal with Russia to market, promote and buy agricultural products. Russia has pledged to buy $2.5 billion worth of agricultural products from the Philippines. To promote Philippine products, it committed to open an outlet in Moscow to showcase Philippine farm products.

The Philippines already exports several high value commodities to Russia such as seaweeds, coconut products and ignition wiring sets.

Piñol recently said Russia is shaping to be a promising market for shrimp and bananas.

Russia, he said, has also been asking for samples of various high value crops in the Philippines.

The DA is hosting in February the first Philippine-Russia Trade and Agri Forum in which about 200 Russian businessmen would participate. These are potential buyers of agricultural products such as bananas, pineapple, cacao, mangoes and marine products like shrimp and milkfish.

Piñol said the department is arranging with Cebu Pacific direct flights for Russian businessmen attending the forum which would be held in Davao.

The department, he said, is also seeking the support of the local airline industry for the conduct of missionary flights between Philippines and Russia to further trade.

“We will also seek the support of the airline industry to have missionary flights from Russia to Philippines to open trade,” he said. –