AN executive of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said there is a growing interest in Mindanawon agricultural products from Singaporean businesses.
PCCI area vice president for Mindanao Arturo Milan said that the recently-concluded Mindanao Business Mission in Singapore introduced Mindanao products that Singaporeans could invest in and possibly import from the Philippines.
Following the business mission, a Singaporean trader has agreed to buy two 140-foot containers worth of pineapple and papaya from Mindanao that would serve as initial trade to show the quality of Mindanao agriculture products.
“For the first time, we are starting to export our pineapple and papaya to Singapore... I hope magpadayon na ni kasi (it continues because) we were there in 2019 but because of the pandemic, karon ra gyod ni siya nasundan (we were not able to follow through),” Milan said dring the Wednesdays at Habi at Kape on August 17, 2022.
He said they hope this initial export would kick start the trade partnership between the two and pave the way to export more varieties of products.
“That is an opening for us. When we talk of the Philippines, Mindanao gyod ilang ginatanaw na (they are looking at Mindanao as a) potential area to source their food supply,” Milan said.
Aside from the pineapple and papaya, Singaporean businessmen are also looking into the importation of mango, cavendish bananas, vegetables, and poultry.
Milan said Singaporeans have also shown interest in high-value crops such as coffee and cacao but mentioned that production for these needs to increase to meet the demands of the export market.
“Dapat kasi ma-satisfy natin ang (We have to satisfy the) domestic demand before going into the export market. Yun ang kailangan natin tingnan ng mabuti para ma-develop rin ang crops natin in Mindanao (That’s what we also have to look into so we can also develop our crops here),” he said.
Milan said Singapore is most interested in agriculture products since the country prioritizes food supply and food security.
“As you know, Singapore buys 96 percent of their food requirements. Wala sila agriculture, wala sila yuta so almost all imported (They do not have agricultural lands so almost all of it is imported),” he said. ICM