China allows entry of Phl bananas - Palace

MANILA, Philippines - China’s quarantine officials have allowed local bananas to enter their market after imposing stricter measures on products coming from the Philippines, Malacañang said yesterday.

“We have a bit of good news. We have progressed in resolving the phytosanitary issue. We received word (yesterday) that 30 to 40 containers have been allowed to pass in China. So that’s a little bit of good news for us,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.

Valte said it was agreed that the Department of Agriculture would double check all banana exports before they leave the country and its counterparts in China would join them once the exports arrived there.

“It will be subjected to a joint inspection to resolve quickly any phytosanitary issues,” Valte said.

To assist the local banana producers affected by the trade row with China, Valte said President Aquino ordered a study so that measures could be extended to them.

Although the import restrictions imposed by China have started to ease, the government is still looking for other markets for Philippine bananas, she added.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala organized a team from the Bureau of Plant Industry to go to China to check on the stranded banana shipments in response to China’s claim that Philippine bananas shipped to them have pests. 

Likewise, Chinese quarantine officials have been invited to inspect plantations and ports in the country.

The Philippines is one of the world’s top banana exporters, with much of the fruit being grown in Mindanao. 

Its major markets include Japan, South Korea, China and New Zealand. 

In 2010, the total export earnings for fresh Cavendish banana amounted to $720 million.

China is the country’s second biggest export market for bananas next to Japan. 

Records show that as of February 2012, Philippine banana exports to China accounted for 19 percent of the total export in the first two months of this year.

The Palace earlier said the issue on bananas and other fruits banned from entering China had nothing to do with the row between the Philippines and China over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

The government has imposed a fishing ban within the shoal area and appealed to fishermen not to violate it to allow depleted marine resources to recover.

President Aquino earlier ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to provide assistance to the fishermen who would be affected by the fishing ban to ensure that they would not lose livelihood.

The BFAR has installed 10 fish aggregating devices known as payao. These payaos are situated within 15 kilometers off the coastline, compared to the shoal which is 125 nautical miles or 250 kilometers from the coastline, and can accommodate 30 to 40 fishers.

“Another 20 units will be installed in the next two weeks and BFAR is targeting a total of 160 units by June. In addition, the BFAR will also be providing alternative livelihood such as mangrove projects to assist the affected fishermen,” she said.

Panatag Shoal is actually quite far from the shore, the Palace said, and some vital marine resources like the coral beds must be protected.

Valte said there were no discussions yet on whether subsidy could be provided to the fishermen and fruit exporters who incurred losses. 

Aside from bananas, Philippine papayas and pineapples were also banned from entering China due to phytosanitary issues.– With Delon Porcalla