Entry of RP mangoes to US, CNMI markets nears
The Philippines is inching its way to finally convincing the federal government to allow the entry of local tropical fruits, including the popular mangoes, to American states and insular territories like Guam and the Northern Marianas.
At present, the US Department of Agriculture prohibits the entry of tropical fruits with seeds which may bring along fruit flies or insects.
Presentations have been made by the Philippine trade promotions office in Washington before the U.S.-DA about the steps taken by country to get rid of insects and fruit flies in order to pave the way for the entry of Philippine mangoes to American markets, including the Northern Marianas.
Consul Julia Heidemann said the Philippines has initially made a breakthrough in coming out with the Vapor Heat Treatment [VHT] of for-export fruits like mangoes and papaya.
VHT is the process utilized by the Philippine government in its mango and papaya exports to Japan. This procedure was started when the Philippines started exporting fresh mangoes to Japan.
“We appear successful in trying to convince the U.S.-DA to accept the VHT method,” Ms. Heidemann told reporters, explaining that the VHT process is the only way to guarantee phyto-sanitary measures, which is required under international trade.
One of the largest VHT plants was established in Davao, a province in Southern Philippines where a large number of for-export tropical fruits like durian and mangoes come from.
Ms. Heidemann said the Philippines is also making the market pave for South Korea, which has also expressed intentions to import fresh mangoes. She is upbeat that the Philippines will be able to entice the U.S.-DA on the reliability of the VHT if the Korean trade would succeed.
She added that shipment of mangoes to the CNMI should not be a problem considering the islands’ proximity to the Philippines.
At the same time, the Consul said her office has been identifying specific products which can be fused in to the CNMI market, and the ways to let Philippine goods in.
Existing trade relations between the Philippines and the Northern Marianas is giving Philippine-made products a chance to compete with foreign and native goods.
“We have been identifying products that have good potentials to penetrate the local market. The basic aspect of trade promotion is to find a market for a particular product,” Ms. Heidemann said.
