| Beijing Approves Mango Exports from 8 RP Firms |
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| Friday,May 09,2008 Posted: 09:25 BJT(0125 GMT) |
| From:Philippine Daily Inquirer Article type:Reproduced |
The approval by Beijing for eight local companies to export mangoes to China will provide more income to some 2.5 million mango growers, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said Tuesday.
"Our exporters have fully complied with the requirements. Beijing's nod is very timely because we’re now at the peak of the mango harvest season," Yap said.
Mango is among the country's top exports to China, which accounts for 80 percent of total overseas sales of the tropical fruit. In 2007, the country exported 933.33 tons of mangoes. Yap said they expected this number to increase with Beijing's approval.
Yap said that the eight companies which obtained approval were: Fruitful Harvest Corporation, Mabuhay 2000 Incorporated, Phil-Harvest Agro Marketing Corporation, Diamond Star Agro Products Inc., DHM Philippine Produce Inc., Wenatchee Marketing Corporation, HiLas Marketing Corporation, and Marsman Drysdale Food Corporation.
The eight companies fulfilled the requirements for an extended hot water treatment specified in 2007 by inspectors and technical staff from Beijing's General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Yap said.
He said Beijing’s approval was relayed by Liang Wentao, the Chinese embassy's economic and commercial counselor in a letter dated April 18 to Undersecretary for Special Concerns Berna Romulo Puyat.
The Chinese embassy said that Luzon mango has been quite popular in China.
In February this year, China accepted a more affordable system for disinfection against fruitfly, which lowered exporting cost by P20 per kilo of mango.
“Obviously, the friendly policy the Chinese government adopted would not only benefit the 2.5 million mango farmers but also the Philippine economy as a whole. To put it simply, the mango farmers would have more cash to weather the difficulties brought about by high rice and oil prices,” it added.
Beijing gave the go-signal to eight companies following a visit of officials from the AQSIQ in Manila last April to check on food safety and treatment facilities for Philippine mango exports.
China earlier accepted the less costly but effective extended hot water treatment that the DA had developed in tandem with the country’s premier research institutions to ensure that Philippine mango exports meet global food-safety standards.
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