Canada seeking to expand PHL agri role after success of dairy, hog collaboration

CANADA is seeking to expand its footprint in Philippine agriculture following the success of some of its collaborations in the Philippine hog and dairy industries, a Canadian government official said.

- By Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

Diedrah Kelly, executive director of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office, said at a food security forum late Monday that the use of Canadian technology in some Philippine farms has yielded efficiency and productivity gains.

“As a result of this technology, the yield on those cows is about a liter more (of milk) each day than what they had previously,” Ms. Kelly said.

“Canadian technology and genetic material are being provided for both pork and dairy,” she added.

The technology-sharing supports the Philippines’ drive to expand its dairy industry. The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it set a target of 5% of the Philippines’ dairy requirements to be serviced by domestic production within the next two or three years.

The Philippines currently imports about 99% of its dairy needs from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman said at the forum that Canada is working more closely with the Philippines to strengthen food security and support sustainable growth through stronger agricultural and trade ties.

“Food security is not just about access to food. It is about continual access to high-quality and safe food, which itself depends on the resilience of our supply chains, the sustainability of our agricultural systems and robust trading relationships,” Mr. Hartman said.