The office will be in Manila, Philippines
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.om
The Canadian ag sector now knows where the federal government’s Indo-Pacific agriculture office will be.
Manila, Philippines is where the office will be located, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau revealed on June 7.
It was in November 2022 that Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada would invest almost $32 million to set up an agricultural office in the Indo-Pacific region.
Representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will work together at the new office in Manila.
A mobile team will be there to assist with diplomatic missions and help various stakeholders with ag-related issues.
“Hosting this new Office is an opportunity to build on our economic relationship, and enrich people-to-people ties,” Minister Bibeau said in a statement. “Our Government will continue to help Canadian farmers, food processors and exporters maximize their opportunities, and diversify their markets in the world’s fastest-growing economic zone.”
Canada exports billions of dollars of agriculture and agri-food products to the Indo-Pacific region.
That number totalled $21.8 billion in 2022, with a 7 per cent increase in exports between 2018 and 2022.
In addition, Canada has regional trade agreements like the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the CPTPP.
Having a permanent presence in the region will help the Canadian ag sector take advantage of further trade opportunities, said Dan Darling, president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.
“We are keen to continue to work with the federal government to ensure this office helps agri-food exporters grow Canada's market share in the Indo-Pacific which will strengthen critical people to people ties, create new jobs, support food security, and enable more opportunities in trade for Canadian agri-food businesses,” he said in a statement.