MANILA: The government in the Philippines is looking into allowing imports of Iranian apples. In a meeting between Ambassador to the Philippines, Mohammad Tanhaei, and Filipino Agriculture Secretary, Emmanuel F. Pinol, the proposal for the introduction of the fruit was discussed.
Pinol told Tanhaei that as part of the standard procedure, the Philippine Department of Agriculture is finalizing the Pest Risk Analysis of apple samples.
“I’m still waiting for the results, and if everything turns out okay, rest assured that (the document on) importation of apples is ready for signing,” Pinol was quoted as saying by the state-owned Philippine Information Agency.
The Philippine official expressed his interest in other ventures because of the huge market for tropical fruits, particularly bananas and pineapple, in Iran. He requested the Tehran government to reduce the tariff on bananas.
At present, the tariff on imported bananas is pegged at 24%, which is lower than apple exports.