The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) asked Philippine negotiators to avoid offering concessions on agricultural products in ongoing talks to renegotiate reciprocal tariffs the United States plans to impose on Philippine exports.
Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go is leading a Philippine delegation in discussions with US officials to reduce or remove the 20-percent tariffs.
“We’re concerned that our agri-fisheries sector will be used as a bargaining chip. This would be deeply unfair and potentially devastating for Filipino farmers,” said FFF national manager Raul Montemayor.
The FFF noted that in 2024, Philippine agricultural exports to the US were only a third of US farm exports to the Philippines, leading to a $12-billion trade surplus for the US in the sector.
However, the Philippines recorded an overall $5-billion trade surplus with the US, largely driven by electronics exports such as integrated circuits, office machine parts and insulated wires.
The FFF said that while many non-agricultural exports rely heavily on imported components, agricultural exports are primarily domestically grown, offering greater value-added and net foreign exchange earnings.
The FFF cautioned against premature trade-offs, warning that such concessions would be difficult to reverse if the US later withdraws the tariffs.
Instead, the group reiterated its call for the government to prioritize investments that enhance productivity and competitiveness in the agriculture sector, rather than relying on trade deals to boost exports.
“Even if the US lifts these tariffs, we will remain at a disadvantage if we can’t match the efficiency and quality of other suppliers,” Montemayor said.
