Sinabi ng Department of Agriculture na ang Pilipinas at Vietnam ay sumang-ayong makipagtulungan sa integrated pest management and exchange information on post-harvest technologies and processing in high-value crops, at para na rin palakasin ang korporasyon sa sektor ng palaisdaan.
Sabi ni Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala na ang dalawang bansa ay pumayag na ang respective plant protection experts ay matugunan at matutukoy ang tiyak na prutas at gulay para sa export at malaman ang phytosanitary requirements.
Nangyari ang kasunduan noong nakaraang First Meeting of the Joint Agriculture Working Group sa pagitang ng dalawang bansa. Ang miting ay pinamahalaan ni Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Orlan Calayag at ni Agriculture and Rural Development Vice Minister Vu Van Tam ng Vietnam.
Ayon sa kalihim, ipinahayag ng Pilipinas ang interes nitong magkaroon pa ng higit na kaalaman sa teknolohiya para sa pagkontrol ng black pepper disease. Dagdag pa niya, ang Pilipinas at Vietnam ay sumang-ayong isagawa ang Memorandum of Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation na nilagdaan ng parehong bansa noong 2009.
“We aim to bolster a united effort in aquaculture, fisheries, processing and marketing, including but not limited to advanced technology transfer, training and capacity building, culinary or processing practices, post-harvest technologies and exchange of visits,” sabi ni Alcala.
Isang hotline upang labanan ang mga iligal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing at suportahan ang humanitarian search and rescue operations sa dagat ay naglalayon ding itatag.
“The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines and the Directorate of Fisheries of Vietnam will work on specific details to report to their respective Department and Ministry, respectively, so that the hotline can be permanently established by the end of 2015,” saad ni Alcala. (Ian Go,DA-OSEC)