Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk met with a high-level Philippine delegation, led by Zamzamian Ampatuan, the Undersecretary of Agriculture for the island of Mindanao and Director of the Halal Food Industry Development Program, to explore opportunities for expanding agricultural trade between the two countries.
The meeting, which also included Kristal Donovan, Acting Ambassador of the Philippines in Cairo, focused on strategies to overcome barriers in agricultural exports, particularly opening the Philippine market to Egyptian products.
Farouk emphasized the strategic importance of securing access for Egyptian crops to the Philippine market, highlighting key products such as table potatoes, grapes, onions, and garlic.
He revealed that an official invitation has been extended to the Philippine Minister of Agriculture to visit Egypt next month to review the significant improvements in Egypt's agricultural quarantine system. This visit will provide an opportunity for the Philippine side to assess Egypt’s global quality standards and finalize technical entry requirements, paving the way for formal exportation.
Minister Farouk instructed officials to provide all necessary logistical and technical support to facilitate direct communication between Egyptian exporters and Philippine importers. This cooperation aims to streamline the exchange of agricultural and animal products between the two nations.
The Philippine delegation expressed a strong interest in leveraging Egyptian expertise, particularly in the frozen poultry sector, to help address shortages in the Philippine market. They also highlighted the growing importance of Halal food for the Philippine Muslim population, which exceeds 8 million people, underscoring the potential for joint ventures in this area.
The meeting also reviewed recent successes, such as the approval of Philippine durian exports to Egypt. The Philippine side expressed eagerness to expand exports of other high-quality crops, including bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts.
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