Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday, September 9, with Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina in Phnom Penh to strengthen agricultural cooperation between the two Southeast Asian nations.
According to a Department of Agriculture news release, the meeting took place during the state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Cambodia and focused on deepening collaboration in agricultural trade, food security, and market access for farm products.
Minister Dith expressed optimism that Cambodia’s agricultural exports to the Philippines, particularly its premium aromatic rice, would see an uptick, citing growing demand in Manila and other urban areas.
Secretary Tiu Laurel, for his part, acknowledged that Cambodian products such as rice, fish, meat, and vegetables could help meet the needs of the Philippines’ expanding population. He added that the Philippines is preparing to welcome more Cambodian agricultural goods into its domestic market, a move expected to enhance bilateral trade and food supply resilience.
“This bilateral meeting is a step forward to flesh out the agreement signed earlier this year by the Philippines and Cambodia on agricultural trade, cooperation, and knowledge transfer,” said Tiu Laurel.
The talks concluded with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, ensure mutual food security, and promote sustainable trade between their countries.
In February, the Philippines and Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Agricultural and Agribusiness Cooperation during the state visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to Manila.
The agreement aims to boost investments in Cambodia’s agriculture sector, especially rice production, and explore trade opportunities in vegetables and meat, while enhancing technical exchange and training.
As part of the ongoing collaboration, Secretary Tiu Laurel and Minister Dith visited the Khmer Food Group and the Tram Bok Modern Agricultural Community to observe best practices in vegetable farming and agri-innovation.