THE PHILIPPINES will soon start exporting okra to South Korea after the completion of requirements for shipping the commodity set by both countries, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the okra harvested in the 2021-2022 season will be subject to export, after an official notification was received from South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MARFA).
“The Philippine government has been requesting market access since 2014 and finally it was granted. This is a milestone for us considering we are still in the midst of the global pandemic,” Mr. Dar said in a statement Monday.
Mr. Dar said the okra exports will be initially sourced from four farms and packing houses in Tarlac province: Jelfarm Fresh Produce Enterprise, Greenstar Produce Philippines, Inc., AAMC Foods Corp., and Hi-Las Marketing Corp.
“The entry of Philippine okra into the Korean market is a welcome development to boost not only the livelihood and incomes of our farmers, but also pave way to other potential export crops, thus invigorating the agriculture sector,” Mr. Dar said.
Aleli Maghirang, the DA agriculture attaché in Seoul, said the Philippines was granted market access after the South Korean government completed ruling processing the request for access.
Ms. Maghirang said MARFA’s Animal and Plant Quarantine agency asked the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry to perform investigations and submit inspection reports in lieu of the mandatory on-site survey by South Korean representatives of the four farms in Tarlac.
She said okra is mainly available in South Korea in frozen or dried form, with most of the processed okra products sourced from China.
“Once the requirements are complied with, the okra exports will commence,” Ms. Maghirang said.
“Okra is not as mainstream as radish, cabbage, cucumber, potato and sprouts, which are part of many Korean dishes. Most Koreans eat okra as a side dish,” she added.
On Sept. 29, the DA announced that the Philippines began exporting okra to Japan grown by 300 farmers across 14 barangays in Tarlac. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
