- 29 US agribusinesses and farm groups will visit Manila on July 18-20 to explore further trade opportunities
- USDA-sponsored trade mission to be led by Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley
- FAS says in a report “the Philippines boasts one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a young and growing population, and a steadily rising number of high-income households”
A United States trade mission keen to enlarge its market for agricultural exports in the Philippines is visiting the country on July 18-21 to meet potential buyers and explore further trade opportunities.
The delegation of representatives from 29 US agribusinesses and farm organizations will be led by Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley. They will be in Manila for a four-day trade mission sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture.
Participants will engage directly with potential buyers, receive in-depth market briefs from FAS and industry trade experts, and participate in site visits, FAS said in a press release.
“The Philippines is an excellent market for US farm and food products, and we look forward to introducing a diverse group of companies and organizations to new export opportunities there,” Whitley said.
“US brands sell very well in the Philippines, where consumers regard our products as safe, reliable and of good quality. The United States has enjoyed a long and prosperous trading relationship with the Philippines and this mission is an ideal opportunity to further expand our exports there.”
The Philippines is the eighth-largest market for US agricultural exports, averaging US$3.1 billion annually during the last five years, FAS said.
In a recent report, High Growth Potential for US Agricultural Exports to the Philippines, FAS cited the Philippine food and beverage sector has grown significantly over the past decade and that, while the usual consumption patterns had been impacted by pandemic restrictions, the sector has been resilient.
The report said 2021 was a record year for US agricultural exports to the Philippines, but added that the path to achieving annual records are likely to be through diversification, especially in consumer-oriented products.
“The strong trade relationship and consumer trust in US products built over decades can be an important asset for exporters,” the report said.
“The Philippines boasts one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, a young and growing population, and a steadily rising number of high-income households,” the report said, citing the country’s GDP growth averaged 6.4% between 2010 and 2019, to become the world’s 19th fastest-growing economy during that period.
Despite the quarantine measures and global disruptions due to the COVID-19 that led to a 10% contraction of the Philippine economy in 2020, it rebounded by 5.7% in 2021 and is projected to grow 6.7% growth in 2022.
“Within the next few years, the Philippines is expected to become an upper-middle-income economy, currently defined by the World Bank as having a gross national income per capita between US$4,096 and US$12,695,” the report said.
The FAS report said the size of the overall food and beverage sector in the Philippines has grown significantly in the past decade. It cited IHS Markit estimates that F&B sales were around US$124 billion in 2021, double the US$61 billion in sales in 2010.
“Sector sales are forecast to increase nearly 90% by 2030 to US$234 billion. Population and household income growth are important contributors, increasing total consumption as well as the variety and quality of foods that are consumed,” the report said, adding that recent trends show Filipinos’ interest in premium ingredients and healthier options.
Reciprocally, the US remains the Philippines’ top export market, accounting for US$4.89 billion or 15.3% of the country’s exports in May 2022, the Department of Trade and Industry reported. The DTI has not yet responded to a request for data on Philippine farm exports to the US.
Whitley will be joined by Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen, Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr.
Officials of the California, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, North Dakota and Wisconsin departments of agriculture and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture will be joining.
The 29 companies and organizations in the mission are as follows:
- Blue River Trading Company, LLC, West Allis, Wisc.
- California Blueberry Commission, Clovis, Calif.
- California Milk Advisory Board, Tracy, Calif.
- East-West International Group, Inc., Moreland Hills, Ohio
- Flying Horse Services, Inc., Arcadia, Calif.
- Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
- Food Export USA – Northeast, Philadelphia, Pa.
- Global Processing, Kanawha, Iowa
- Globex International, Atlanta, Ga.
- Groceries USA, New York, N.Y.
- High Desert Milk, Inc., Burley, Idaho
- Intervision Foods, Atlanta, Ga.
- Kizable LLC, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Lamex Foods, Bloomington, Minn.
- Lee Spirits, Monument, Colo.
- MEM Fairway, Inc., Irvine, Calif.
- Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, Burnsville, Minn.
- Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Mankato, Minn.
- Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council, Red Lake Falls, Minn.
- Mirasco, Atlanta, Ga.
- National Pork Board, Des Moines, Iowa
- Redwood International, Irvine, Calif.
- Seneca Foods Corporation, Lake Elmo, Minn.
- Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance, Mankato, Minn.
- Tedford/Tellico, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.
- US Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.
- US Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
- US Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., Mount Horeb, Wisc.
- US Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
