Denmark wants to double exports to Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Denmark is looking to double its exports to the Philippines within five years.

“I could easily see during the time I am here that the exports from Denmark to here will double,” Danish Ambassador to the Philippines Jan Top Christensen told reporters.

Christensen who arrived in the Philippines last year for the reopening of the Danish Embassy in Manila, said there is potential to grow Danish exports to the country.

The Philippines was Denmark’s 66th largest export market for goods in 2013 with merchandise shipments valued at DKK (Danish Krone) 625 million ($100.781 million).

For the first eight months of 2014, exports of Danish goods to the Philippines reached DKK 939 million ($151.414 million), well-above the DKK 369 million ($59.501 million) in the same period a year ago.

To grow its exports to the Philippines, Christensen said the Danish government is planning to promote more exchanges between the two countries.

For the official reopening of its new embassy located in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on January 22, the Danish government is organizing a trade delegation composed of 17 to 18 companies engaged in various sectors to take a look at opportunities here.

The Danish embassy in the Philippines along with other countries were closed in 2002 to cut costs.

During the visit of the delegation, there will be trade seminars focused on key sectors like food and agriculture, energy and environment as well as pharmaceuticals and health.

Apart from the trade delegation arriving in January, another delegation to be headed by Denmark’s Speaker of Parliament will also be in the country in February.

Christensen said he would also like to get President Aquino to visit Denmark before the end of his term in 2016 in order to promote the Philippines to Danish firms and at the same time raise the profile of Denmark in the country.