South Korea grants the Philippines market access for okra

The Philippines will start exporting okra or ladies’ fingers to South Korea.

“After the resumption of okra exports to Japan last year, we are opening yet another market access for our okra, this time with the huge Korean food market.

The Philippine government has been requesting market access of okra to Korea since 2014 and finally, it was granted. This is a milestone for us considering we are still in the midst of the global pandemic.

I commend the efforts of concerned DA offices, particularly the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul, for this breakthrough and significant development that will also pave the way to more farm and fishery exports to Korea,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

The South Korean government announced the completion of the ruling process for the Philippine okra market access to their country through the official notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) on May 6.

Exports of fresh, green okra pods will be sourced initially from Tarlac province, where DA-BPI accredited farms and packing houses are located.

There are currently four Philippine okra exporters who are also members of the Philippine Okra Producers and Exporters Association (POPEA):

1. Jelfarm Fresh Produce Enterprise,
2. Greenstar Produce, Philippines Inc.,
3. AAMC Foods Corp., and
4. Hi-Las Marketing Corp.

Due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, South Korea’s MAFRA Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency has requested the DA-BPI to conduct investigations and provide inspection reports on their behalf in lieu of the on-site survey of the okra farms in Tarlac. Once requirements are fulfilled, the Philippines may commence okra exports to South Korea.

In South Korea, okra is not mainstream like radish, cabbage, cucumber, potato, and sprouts but it is eaten as a “banchan” or side dish.

Filipino farmers grow okra as it is a high-yielding crop and provides a good source of income:

The DA has reported that okra pods can be harvested as early as 55 days upon seeding with surveys showing that farmers can harvest from 500 kilograms to one ton of okra pods per hectare, providing them a net income ranging from ₱80,000 to ₱120,000.

The entry of Philippine okra to the Korean market is indeed a welcome development to boost not only the livelihood and incomes of our farmers but also pave the way to other potential export crops.

SOURCE: Inquirer