RP food exports to carry country of origin logo

To ensure consistently high quality of Philippine food exports, the country’s food producers shipping their product abroad has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry on the use of country of origin logo, which will distinguish Philippine products from the rest of in the global market.

The logo, a virtual seal of excellence, is being adopted to ensure that only products that are globally competitive in terms of quality and price will be shipped out to ensure against their infiltration with substandard products.

Products covered by the agreement are bangus, tilapia and shrimp, which would each have their own logo design.

Exports of the above products that do not carry the logo, as agreed upon, will thus not be officially recognized nor promoted by trade attaches abroad as they might not conform to the strict quality standards agreed upon and eventually destroy the image of the Philippines as a steady and stable supplier of quality food products.

For the bangus sector the agreement, which was signed by Jimmy To as president of the Bangus Association of the Philippines Inc. (BAPI) last Jan. 21 also includes:

• BAPI-prescribed brochures and collateral in BOI Marine and Fisheries outbound and inbound missions, international conferences, local and international fairs and investment-related events that it organizes and participates in for at least three years beginning 2004.

• Transmit BAPI promotional brochures and collaterals on bangus to the DTI trade attaches for distribution to possible investors, trade buyers abroad, Chamber of Commerce and trade offices.

• Endorse bangus exporters carrying the seal of origin in its priority list for buyer referrals.

DTI Undersecretary and BOI Executive Director Gregory L. Domingo cited the example set by Saranggani Bay brand for bangus, which has been successful in tapping the export market.

Saranggani Bay, he said, is the first Filipino company to export value added bangus products and continues to serve Filipinos based in the US, Canada and Europe.

He said in his most recent trip to the US, he noticed the prominent shelf spaces in oriental stores and in the supermarkets given to Saranggani Bay, which was being bought not only by Filipinos but by the locals and foreign visitors in America.

To said his company is not just HACCP compliant but is also ISO 9001-2000 certified.

Aside from frozen, smoked and marinated bangus and processed products, the company also sells high end deep sea fish species that it is able to produce in its sea cages in Gen. Santos.

It is also producing bottled bangus in spicy and regular variants (in slim and flat jars) that are now being sold in supermarkets of Metro Manila and other urban centers.

A pioneer in this field, Saranggani Bay’s bangus sardine answers the Filipino dietary and nutritional needs especially among the health buffs who avoid fatty foods from meats, To said.