MANILA — A Russian team is currently in the Philippines to inspect tuna processing plants and government facilities that monitor the tuna industry, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday.
This, as the two states, aims to strengthen and increase cooperation not just on security but also on trade and agriculture.
The inspection team will be in the Philippines until tomorrow, Jan. 27, 2018.
Philippine Ambassador to Russia Carlos Sorreta himself sent off the team on January 19 after his meeting with Konstantin Savenkov, deputy head of Rosselkhoznadzor and other officials of the agency.
Rosselkhoznadzor or Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance is the Russian federal agency that establishes and lifts phytosanitary quarantine zones, controls the use of pesticides and agrochemicals, and maintains soil fertility, among others.
Per the DFA, its approval is necessary before agricultural products can be exported to Russia.
According to Sorreta, the Philippines and Russia have been working for “quite some” time on laying the groundwork for agricultural exports.
“We are glad that inspections are pushing through. I am confident that our fisheries facilities will be seen as world class, having already passed the inspections of other countries,” he said in a statement.
Given the large market for fisheries products in Russia, the envoy is confident that the high quality tuna products of the country will be well received in the foreign state.
During their meeting, Sorreta and Savenkov also discussed the inspection of Russian meat and poultry by Philippine officials, the implementation of agreements and the training of Philippine agricultural experts and technicians in Russia.
Sorreta emphasized that while these inspections are important, there are several other steps, including other inspections, data exchanges and meetings of experts before exports of agricultural products can commence in earnest. (/PNA)
