The Philippines and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation during a high-level meeting between Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. and Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath Macdonald.
The two agriculture ministers met on August 3 at the Conrad Hotel in Manila as part of a renewed push to elevate the Philippine-Canada agri-fishery trade and technical collaboration.
Both leaders hailed the long-standing partnership, underscored by a growing bilateral agri-fishery trade that reached a cumulative USD2.39 billion between 2020 and 2024. Secretary Tiu Laurel highlighted the increasing trade momentum, with total agricultural trade rising from USD327 million in 2020 to a peak of USD568 million in 2022.
“Canada remains a vital partner in supporting our vision for a more globally-competitive agriculture sector,” said Tiu Laurel.
He noted that the Philippines’ agri-fishery exports to Canada grew from USD109 million in 2020 to USD148 million in 2024—the strongest in five years. The meeting also tackled areas of mutual interest such as high-value crops, African swine fever (ASF) response, food security, and free trade negotiations.
The ministers discussed the ongoing ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks and raised the prospect of a bilateral FTA to broaden market access and diversification.
A key outcome was the signing of a Joint Statement on Technical Collaboration between the Philippines’ Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
The agreement focuses on plant health, capacity building, scientific and regulatory advancement, and the exchange of innovations to boost productivity.
Secretary Tiu Laurel was accompanied by Undersecretary Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero, Assistant Secretary Benjamin Aberece, Assistant Secretary Paz Benavidez II, and representatives from various DA offices.
The visit signified a pivotal step forward in bolstering Philippine-Canada agri-relations, aiming not only to enhance trade but also to empower farmers, fisherfolk, and food producers across both nations.
