DA's Tiu Laurel calls for lower tariffs on PH bananas

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. over the weekend called for the reduction of Japanese tariffs on Philippine bananas, as other countries enjoy zero or preferential tariffs.

According to Tiu Laurel, Japan is the largest market for local bananas, but the Philippines still pays an 18% tariff on bananas exported by the Philippines from April to September, and a lower 8% tariff from October to March, under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

Meanwhile, Japan imposes zero or preferential tariffs on bananas imported from Cambodia, Laos, Mexico, and Vietnam.

“The banana industry is a lifeline for thousands of farmers and workers, especially in Mindanao, where it serves as a major economic pillar,” Tiu Laurel said.

“To sustain and expand this industry, we must push for tariff reductions on our bananas. This will not only attract greater investment in banana production but also drive poverty alleviation, job creation, and security in Mindanao,” he added.

At present, the Philippines supplies three out of every four bananas consumers in Japan, which imports over 1 million metric tons annually to meet domestic demand.

This comes as Tiu Laurel recently met with Japan’s State Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Hirofumi Takinami, and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama to discuss a possible review of the JPEPA.

"This official trip mainly aims to address the pressing issue of declining competitiveness of our Philippine bananas in Japan, which is of utmost importance to the DA. We hope to come up with a common solution with stakeholders to address the tariff issue and negotiate mutually beneficial terms with the Japanese government under the JPEPA,” he said. —KG, GMA Integrated News