The PEI Potato Board recently welcomed a 15-member delegation from the Philippines, composed of farmers from the United Potato Producers of Benguet and Mountain Province (UPPBMP), senior executives from private industry, and the Undersecretary of the High Value Crops from the Department of Agriculture. The group was on PEI with the goals of knowledge transfer, to continue working on a partnership formed several years ago, and to highlight fresh potatoes for processing and Island seed potatoes.
This relationship between The Philippines and the Prince Edward Island Potato Board was formed following a productive mission in 2019 which also saw farmers, food processing companies, and the Philippine Department of Agriculture officials visit PEI to learn about its potato farming practices and its seed certification program. That mission resulted in a very successful program of seed sales to The Philippines.
The delegation at the PEI Potato Board offices.
The delegation was in PEI from June 9 to 15 and had a full schedule to tour potato farms, meet with agriculture businesses, meet with senior government officials and potentially source agricultural products produced in PEI. Most of the delegation are farmers as well as members of the largest potato farmers' cooperative in the Philippines and are keen to expand their potato knowledge, understand ways to increase potato production, and learn about up-and-coming ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.
"We wholeheartedly welcome the Philippine delegation to PEI once again. We take pride in the way we farm and produce potatoes and are encouraged to see interest in doing business together and to grow our seed business relationship," says Donald Stavert, chair of the PEI Potato Board Seed Committee.
Donald and Greg Stavert show Filipino farmers potato varieties.
This mission is also taking place during the 75th year of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Philippines. The Philippines is Canada's second-largest agri-food and seafood export market in the ASEAN and is increasingly positioning itself as a hub in the region.
With over 1 million Canadians of Filipino descent, the people-to-people ties between the two countries also allow Canada to increase its trade and investment linkages with this growing market. Canada plays an important role in contributing to food security in the Philippines. This visit will help deepen Canada's role in strengthening food security and supply chain resilience in the Philippines and the ASEAN region, in line with Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy.
For more information:
Amanda Pineau
Prince Edward Island Potato Board
Tel: +1 (902) 892-6551
[email protected]
www.peipotato.org