Department of Agriculture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban welcomed the representatives of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) at the DA Central Office in Quezon City on January 25, 2023.
The delegates, led by Dr. Imtiaz Kazi, Pakistan Ambassador to the Philippines, and Mr. Chela Ram Kewlani, REAP’s Chairman, discussed measures to improve rice-specific agricultural trade and collaboration between the Philippines and Pakistan, as well as possible market access for Philippine’s desiccated coconuts and other commodities such as mangoes, bananas, pineapple, durian and dragonfruit.
Amb. Kazi said they will comply with the country’s set of requirements and wishes for more fruitful discussions with the Department.
In 2018, DA and the Pakistan government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the areas of research and development of crops, fruit and vegetables, livestock, poultry and fisheries, post-harvest management and processing of crops, information and technology on management of animal health, advance packaging, slaughtering and processing techniques of meat and feed production. It also includes a collaboration in the development of innovative agricultural and post-harvest machinery, fertilizer use efficiency, facilitation and promotion of bilateral trade in agriculture and fisheries products. ### (photos by Adonis Buhayan, DA-AFID)
