Philippines private sector sets trade visit to Malaysia

MANILA, Philippines —  A private sector-led initiative to collaborate with Malaysian agriculture companies is set for this coming April 23 to 24, 2024.

On the agenda are the exploration to share best practices and the creation of commercial values in agricultural commodities for both countries.

The targeted commodities include palm oil, rubber, rice, dairy, poultry, pineapple, durian, banana, coconut and corn.

The details of the planned trade visit were discussed in a meeting organized by proponents of the Kapatid Angat Lahat sa Agri Program (KALAP) led by ASEAN Business Advisory Council (BAC) Philippine chairman and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion.

The meeting was participated in by some of the Philippines’s largest agriculture companies, including Universal Leaf Philippines, Yovel East Agriventures, Lionheart Farms and Iba Botanicals, as well as commodity players represented by Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement, the Philippine Rubber Industry Council and the UNAHCO – Philippine Association of Feed Millers. The discussions were led by Go Negosyo senior advisers, former Department of Agriculture Sec. William Dar and Josephine Romero. Representing the ASEAN BAC was its executive director Gil Gonzales.

The trade mission follows the signing last year of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) initiated by the ASEAN BAC Philippines with ASEAN BAC Malaysia, where both countries agreed to engage in promoting trade, investment and other development partnerships in agriculture. The meetings will be conducted through the ABAC Malaysia B2B Connect Initiative led by Malaysia’s former trade minister Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed and will involve industry leaders from both the public and private sectors to explore projects to be undertaken under the MOU.

Other possible areas to be explored during the visit are agarwood inoculation technologies and the possibility of streamlining international and domestic testing compliances.