Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison will showcase Saskatchewan’s dynamic agri-food industry and associated trade and investment opportunities while strengthening existing relationships during a mission to Southeast Asia next week.
Harrison leaves Friday for a six-day trade mission (March 10-15) to Singapore and the Philippines (Manila). He will meet with a number of food processing and agriculture companies in both countries and encourage them to purchase additional agricultural products from Saskatchewan suppliers while strengthening existing trade ties.
“Saskatchewan has what the world, and particularly Southeast Asia, needs, ‘food, fuel and fertilizer’,” Harrison said. Saskatchewan is a world leading producer of sustainable food, fuel and fertilizer, which gives us the unique ability to work with South East Asia to enhance its food and energy security.”
The minister will use this mission to promote the new trade opportunities with Saskatchewan and Canada that the recently signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTTP) affords Asian nations. He will also showcase Saskatchewan’s leadership in agricultural biotechnology, life sciences and profile the province’s strong ties through immigration with the Philippines, and encourage companies based in Singapore and the Philippines to invest in Saskatchewan.
“More than 31,000 newcomers from the Philippines have made Saskatchewan their new home in the last decade,” Harrison said. “I firmly believe that there is huge opportunity for increased trade between our province and the Philippines.
Historically, significant trade opportunities have followed such substantial population shifts.”
Saskatchewan exported $7.9 billion worth of goods and services to Asia in 2017, including $1.2 billion to Singapore, the Philippines and the other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Source : Government of Saskatchewan