RP food industry plans to ban Aussie products<\/p>\n
MANILA (Dow Jones): The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and
\nFood Inc. said Friday it is set to boycott all food and live
\nanimal imports from Australia, but didn't say when it would start
\nthe boycott.<\/p>\n
The chamber is an umbrella group of Philippine agricultural
\nbuyers and producers and food manufacturers.<\/p>\n
Eduardo Rondain, PCAFI's secretary general, said in a press
\nstatement Friday the group is asking private food chambers in
\nIndonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to launch an "Asean-wide,
\nprivate-sector-led protest action against Australia's unfair
\ntrade practices." The countries are members of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations, or Asean.<\/p>\n
Rondain criticized Australia's insistence on subjecting
\nPhilippine pineapple and bananas to rigorous pest risk analysis.<\/p>\n
He said other agribusiness firms in the region are also
\ncomplaining about Australia's quarantine procedures and strict
\nphytosanitary standards, but didn't specify the firms.<\/p>\n
"The move would virtually halt the import shipment of over
\n$350 million worth of Australian dairy products, live animals,
\ncereals, meat, sugar, fruits, many of which are used by local
\nfirms as raw materials in their food processing businesses," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In 1999, the Philippines imported $388.7 million worth of
\ndairy products, live animals, cereals, sugar and meat from
\nAustralia. In contrast, the Philippines only exported $17.2
\nmillion worth of farm produce to Australia.<\/p>\n
This resulted in a $371.5 million trade gap, which has been a
\ncause of concern for the Philippine government and private-sector
\nofficials, who are relying on bananas and pineapples to bring in
\nbigger export revenue.<\/p>\n
The Philippine Department of Agriculture had earlier
\nencouraged the local meat sector to stop buying dairy, meat and
\nlive animals from Australia because the latter has banned the
\nentry of Philippine fruits into its market.<\/p>\n
The department said it had garnered the support of other Asean
\ngovernments, claiming that they too are suffering from
\nAustralia's stringent requirements for imported food.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rp-food-industry-plans-to-ban-aussie-products-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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