US Senate keen on RP request for tuna access

The Philippines’ request for more US market access for local tuna is getting positive support from the US Senate.

In a memorandum to Trade and Industry Secretary Manuel Roxas II, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center based in Washington, D.C. reported that at least three options are being studied by the US Senate to allow Philippine tuna access to US market.

One option is to split the quota between Ecuador and the Philippines.

The second is to give duty free access to Philippine canned tuna, while the third option is to maintain the status quo which would mean pushing for the deletion of the canned tuna provision in the Andean Trade Preferences Expansion Act (ATPEA).

The Philippines had earlier expressed concern over the ATPEA which would grant duty free access to the US market for several South American countries helping the US in its fight against drug trafficking.

Philippine canned tuna exports to the US currently face a 35 percent tariff.

The Philippines, which is also helping the US in its fight against terrorism, has also asked for the same consideration as the South American countries.

The US is a major export market for Philippine canned tuna. The Philippines earns about $90 million annually from its canned tuna exports to the US.

At least 50 percent of the Philippines’ total tuna exports goes to the US.

Most of the Philippines’s tuna exports come from Mindanao where the US and Philippine military are currently holding joint military exercises.

No less than President Arroyo had appealed to US President Bush for a zero tariff rate on Philippine canned tuna exports to the US.