The Government of Canada is taking action to expand and diversify markets for Canada's blueberry sector, supporting producers in exporting their high-quality Canadian products to international markets. Today, one year after the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, completed a successful trade mission to the Philippines and other Indo-Pacific markets, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced that fresh blueberries from British Columbia can now be exported to the Philippines.
The CFIA worked with the Government of the Philippines to develop export requirements that can be met by the British Columbia blueberry industry. To export fresh blueberries from Canada to the Philippines, growers and packing facilities must be registered with the CFIA and have a Phytosanitary Certificate. To qualify, exporters must meet the Philippines' plant health requirements, and the blueberries must be inspected by the CFIA prior to export, confirming that it is free from soil and pests, and packed in new or clean containers.
A pilot program will be implemented in 2026, starting with exports from a previously identified production field and packing house. Full implementation is anticipated for 2027, at which time all production fields and packing houses in British Columbia will be eligible to register to export blueberries to the Philippines.
Securing and expanding access to international markets to allow for greater market diversification is a priority for the Government of Canada. The CFIA negotiates import requirements with trading partners, shares those requirements with Canadian growers and packing facilities, and verifies compliance through inspections. As Canada's national plant protection agency, the CFIA is also dedicated to promoting safe trade, protecting Canada's plant resources, and working with international counterparts to prevent the movement of invasive species that could pose risks to our environment, forests, and the economy.
Source : Newswire.ca