The Philippines will urge Australia to adhere to the principles of “fair trade” during the forthcoming state visit of President Arroyo to Australia at the end of this month.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who is accompanying President Arroyo during her State Visit to Australia and New Zealand at the end of this month, said he would appeal to Australia to consider the Philippines’ bid to export bananas and pineapples to that country.
Yap noted that while Australia positions itself as the “champion” of developing nations in the World Trade Organization (WTO) as part of the so-called “Cairns Group,” it continues to deny the entry of Philippine bananas and pineapples.
Australia continues to impose strict sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions on Philippine bananas and pineapples allegedly to prevent contamination and infection by unwanted fruit pest of domestic Australian produce.
Australian authorities even require “de-crowning” of Philippine pineapples.
The restrictions are considered as non-tariff barriers to the entry of Philippine fruits to Australia.
Yap said Australia has been dragging its feet over the last 10 years in accrediting Philippine bananas and pineapples.
“The process of accreditation is 10 years old. That in itself should say something about whether Australia believes in fair trade and whether Australia can be the champion of developing countries in the WTO.”
Yap is hopeful that the forthcoming state visit would allow the Philippines and Australia to finally resolve their differences over banana and pineapple exports.
“I do hope things will turn for the better,” Yap said, noting that Australia is the Philippines’s second biggest defense partner.
