Phl, Spain to boost agri ties

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines and Spain have agreed to strengthen economic cooperation in the plant industry and fisheries sector, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said yesterday. 

Alcala said Spanish Agriculture Minister Isabel Garcia Tejerina committed during the Philippines delegation’s recent visit to Spain to strengthen trade cooperation between the two countries starting with a review of the memorandum of agreement on agriculture and fisheries signed in 2007.

The review would be conducted in the first quarter of 2015 during a joint committee meeting to be hosted by the Philippines.

Alcala said the review would result to an enhanced implementation of the agreement to include technical exchanges and market linkage activities.

“We shared the observation that the relationship between Spain and the Philippines should be expanded and intensified given the countries’ strong historical ties,” said Alcala.

He said Spain committed to support the grant of access to the Philippines to the European Union’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), a scheme that would allow the country to enjoy greater tariff reductions for goods entering the 28-member trade bloc.

Tuna is one of the commodities expected to benefit from the scheme. The tariff for Philippine tuna stands at 20.5 percent it would go down to zero once the country enters the GSP+ regime.

Alcala said Spain also committed to provide technical assistance to the Philippines regarding its efforts to fulfill the requirements of the European Commission in the campaign against illegal fishing.

The European Commission recently announced the possibility of imposing an import ban against the Philippines, particularly on tuna, if the country fails to curb illegal fishing.

“The Minister told us Spain can share its sustainable fishing technologies and practices to Filipinos, and we gladly welcomed it,” Alcala said.

Alcala, in turn, assured Tejerina that the Philippines has been working to meet EU standards imposing measures to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Alcala cited the implementation of a closed season for sardine fishing in the Zamboanga and Visayan Seas during spawning period in previous years to allow the specie to multiply.

As tuna feeds on sardines, the presence of more sardines encourages growth of the tuna population within Philippine waters.

Alcala also noted that the research ship provided by Spain to the Philippines has helped in the monitoring of the country’s vast marine and fishery resources.

Alcala was accompanied in the meeting by Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas, Agriculture Attaché to the European Union Jose Laquian and DA International Relations Division chief Noel De Luna.

Also present during the call were incoming Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Luis Antonio Calvo and Secretary of State for Agricultural and Food Affairs Carlos Cabanas.