The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said the upcoming trade negotiations between the Philippines and the United States will focus on coconut exports and poultry imports, with significant economic implications for local producers.
Agriculture secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said local coconut producers are pushing for reduced U.S. tariffs to boost exports. The U.S. was the top buyer of Philippine coconut products in 2024, accounting for 26 percent or USD556.3 million of total exports, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.
The Philippine delegation, led by Frederick Go, special assistant to the President for investment and economic affairs, is set to visit the U.S. this month. DA undersecretary Asis Perez will represent the agriculture sector in the talks.
While discussions are ongoing, no concrete tariff reduction targets have been disclosed. Still, Tiu Laurel expressed confidence in the delegation’s ability to secure a fair outcome, hinting that any trade-off could affect various sectors differently.
On poultry, the DA chief downplayed fears of a surge in U.S. chicken imports, clarifying that any changes would likely involve market share shifts rather than total volume increases. In 2024, the Philippines imported over 472 million kg of chicken, with 34 percent coming from the U.S. and over 50 percent from Brazil.
Tiu Laurel also noted potential gains in fisheries, citing the Philippines’ comparatively favorable 17 percent U.S. tariff rate on products like tilapia and vannamei shrimp, versus 35 to 40 percent for regional competitors like Vietnam and Thailand.
The trade talks come as the U.S. temporarily standardizes tariffs at 10 percent across partners for the next three months, leaving countries in a wait-and-see position.
