BEIJING has given the go-signal for eight Philippine firms to export mangoes to China starting this month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the eight would-be mango exporters are the Fruitful Harvest Corp., Mabuhay 2000 Inc., Phil-Harvest Agro Marketing Corp., Diamond Start Agro Products Inc., DHM Philippine Produce Inc., Wenatchee Marketing Corp., HiLas Marketing Corp. and Marsman Drysdale Food Corp.

Yap said this development was announced by the Chinese government in a letter it sent recently to Agriculture Undersecretary Berna Romulo-Puyat. The letter was sent by Liang Wentao, the Chinese embassy’s economic and commercial counselor.

“On  behalf of the country’s mango growers and exporters, we thank the DA, led by Secretary Yap, and Beijing’s quarantine officials as well, for helping us and our 2.5 million mango farmers  penetrate China’s multibillion-dollar fruit market,” said Jean Lui, owner of Fruitful Harvest.

For his part, Yap said Beijing’s move could further strengthen existing bilateral ties between the two countries.

“Our exporters have fully complied with the requirements for extended hot-water treatment as specified last year by inspectors and technical staff from AQSIQ,” he said.

“Beijing’s nod to the treatment facilities set up by our mango exporters is very timely because this is now the peak of the mango harvest season,” said Yap.

Earlier, China accepted the cheaper but effective Extended Hot Water Treatment (EHWT) that the DA had developed in tandem with the country’s premier research institutions as a qualified technology to ensure that Philippine mango exports meet global food-safety standards.

Mango is among the Philippines’ top exports to China, which accounts for about 80 percent of total overseas sales of this tropical fruit.

The EHWT, which had been perfected by the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna, will lower the cost of exporting mangoes to China by at least P20 a kilo, thus spelling higher profits for Filipino exporters in the world’s largest food market.

DA data show that around 500,000 metric tons (MT) of mangoes of the total 800,000 MT of annual production will be harvested during these peak months of March and April.

Philippine mango exports to China in 2007 reached 933.33 MT, which Yap expects to rise significantly starting this year as a result of Beijing’s approval of the EWHT technology.

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SEN. Edgardo Angara called on the United Nations to consider the elimination of export subsidies and reduction of domestic subsidies of rich countries, as he blamed the prevailing trade imbalance for the looming global food crisis.

BEIJING has given the go-signal for eight Philippine firms to export mangoes to China starting this month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

THE National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), under the Department of Agriculture (DA), is intensifying its monitoring of fast-food chains and restaurants to shield consumers from unscrupulous businessmen who may opt to use substandard meat to save on cost in the face of escalating prices.

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