US agri chief to talk trade, dev’t in Manila

N E W S B R I E F S

10/23/2009

The United States’ agriculture secretary will arrive in the Philippines this weekend for a four-day visit to hold bilateral meetings with key government officials on agricultural trade and development in the country.

Secretary Tom Vilsack is set to arrive on Saturday and is scheduled to meet with President Arroyo, Secretary of Agriculture Arthur Yap and other government officials and top executives from 20 US agribusiness companies on Monday.

Philippine officials are likely to take up with Vilsack the extensive damage on the country’s agriculture brought on by the two storms that recently struck the country.

Vilsack will also officially open the US Trade Mission in the Philippines, the first in Southeast Asia, and visit agricultural production and research facilities.

“The Philippines is an important growth market for US exports and investments and the bilateral relationship between the United States and the Philippines is characterized by strong economic and cultural ties. This mission will further solidify direct commercial relations between U.S. and Philippine producers, processors, traders and investors by providing a forum in which companies can meet to identify business opportunities,” Vilsack said in a statement

The Philippines is a key market in the region for US agricultural exports, with sales of over $1.77 billion in 2008, a record high, while US agricultural imports from the Philippines reached $1.24 billion during the same period. Michaela P. del Callar

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