Phl to start shipment of bananas to US

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government said today that the initial shipment of 3,000 metric tons of Cavendish bananas to the United States may finally push through before the end of April.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said the shipment of Cavendish bananas to the US is expected to prop up Philippine farm exports in 2013.

This would be the first time that the Philippines, one of the world's biggest banana exporters, enters the US market.  

Citing data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, NEDA Deputy Director-General Emmanuel F. Esguerra noted that the US is among the top 20 importers of bananas in the world.

The Philippines shelved plans to export bananas to the US in December 2012 after typhoon Bopha (local name: Pablo) damaged several plantations in key banana-growing areas in Mindanao.

Esguerra said the Philippines is also looking at opening up new markets for sugar in a bid to increase farm exports this year.

The Philippine government said it is coordinating with South Korea, India, Indonesia and countries in the Middle East for their specific requirements.

Latest figures from the National Statistics Office showed that the value of total farm exports rose by 43.7 percent year-on-year to $343.9 million in February.