FRESH PICKS. Fruits are sold at the Kadiwa store in the open area of a condominium complex along Capitol Hills Drive in Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City on Feb. 9, 2023. The Bureau of Plant Industry has helped open markets for durian exports to China, Hass avocados to South Korea, and mangoes to Australia. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)
MANILA – The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has played a vital role in the increase of food production, farm modernization and export of agricultural products especially last year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thursday.
“For nearly a century, BPI has been at the forefront of agricultural innovation, stewardship, and progress in our nation,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr. said during BPI's 94th anniversary celebration.
He said the agency has contributed in the upgrading of agricultural practices — provision of better seeds and planting materials, innovation of farming technologies, plant pest control and use of biological control agents, and promotion of safe and sustainable crop production.
In 2023, the BPI provided more than 72 tons of vegetable seeds and legumes to hundreds of farmers as well as 82,471 pieces of planting materials to help increase food production and farm productivity.
It also certified over 5.8 million bags of rice, corn and field legumes that helped increase farm yield by as much as 30 percent.
To foster safe biotechnology practices, the BPI issued biosafety permits with over 400,000 clearances released for domestic transport to prevent the spread of pests in the country.
Almost 80,000 import clearances and over 83,000 phytosanitary certificates compliant with the requirements of the Philippines’ international trading partners were also issued last year.
Moreover, the bureau helped open markets for durian exports to China, Hass avocados to South Korea, and mangoes to Australia.
This resulted in increased amount of exported durian, Hass avocados and mangoes.
Last year, the Philippines exported 12,548.49 metric tons of mangoes and generated PHP2.9 billion; 3,045.6 metric tons of avocado valued at PHP377 million; and 4,731 tons of fresh durian worth PHP1.89 billion.
The 2023 export figures showed a 316-percent increase for avocado, 109-percent for mango, and 4,000-percent for durian compared to 2022. (PNA)
