Philippines Eyes Higher Imports of Food and Agri Products from India
07-Aug-2025 06:19 PM
New Delhi. A high-level delegation from Philippines, a major rice importing country located in South-East Asia, is on a visit to India, led by its Agriculture Minister.
This delegation held long talks with Indian officials on various issues. The Indian side stressed the need to remove controls on the import of Basmati rice in the Philippines and increase the import of other food products including fruits, vegetables and peanuts from India.
Officials of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF),
a subordinate body of the Union Ministry of Commerce, were also present in the meeting between the Philippines delegation and Indian officials. In this meeting, various products and methods to increase the import of important food products of India in the Philippines were discussed in detail.
According to an industry official who attended the meeting, an agreement was reached between the representatives of India and Philippines in which the Philippines expressed its resolve that it would give priority to increasing the import of essential food and agricultural products from India.
These products also include rice, fruits, vegetables and peanuts. IREF officials said that in this meeting, special attention was given to reducing Philippines' dependence on import of Chinese products and strengthening bilateral relations between India and Philippines.
This will help Philippines to improve its food security situation, accelerate economic development and diversify business.
It is worth noting that in recent times, there has been some bitterness in the relations between China and Philippines, so Philippines is now keen to increase the import of various food products from India instead of China. In the changing global scenario, India can become a strong support for it.
The Philippines government has also agreed to remove the controls imposed on the import of Basmati rice. Philippines has traditionally been importing rice from Vietnam and Thailand, but now there are chances of increase in import from India as well.