The Philippines secured approval to export Hass avocados to Japan’s very finicky yet lucrative fresh fruits market.
“This achievement highlights the Philippines’ commitment to expanding agricultural exports and showcases the excellence of our farm products. We are confident that this access to Japan’s market will open doors to other international opportunities for locally-grown Hass avocados,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr.
He cited the collaborative efforts of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the Office of the Agriculture Attaché in Tokyo and Dole Stanfilco in achieving this trade breakthrough.
BPI director Glenn Panganiban said adding Hass avocados to the list of Philippine exports to Japan, which include bananas and pineapples, is another win for the Philippines following over a decade of work since initial access requests began in 2011.
“Securing entry to Japan’s competitive market for Hass avocados is a crucial step in enhancing trade relations with Japan,” he said, noting the rising agricultural exports to Japan.
The Philippines exported $1.1 billion worth of agri-fisheries products to Japan in 2023, achieving a trade surplus of $990 million.
The inclusion of Hass avocados is expected to bolster the Philippines’ reputation as a key supplier of premium fruits to the discerning Japanese consumers.
Hass avocados, prized for their smaller size and pebbly skin that darkens to purplish-black when ripe, conform to Japanese preferences.
Japan imported 61,000 metric tons (MT) of fresh avocados with sales value of $160 million worth in 2023 from key suppliers including Mexico, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.
“We are proud to announce that the Philippines is the first country in Asia to export Hass avocados to Japan,” said agriculture attaché to Tokyo Aleli Maghirang.
“This milestone provides local producers with a valuable opportunity to tap into Japan’s growing demand for fresh fruits,” he said.
Gaining access to Japan’s market is expected to pave the way for Philippine-grown Hass avocados to reach other international markets.
The global market for Hass avocados is projected to reach $18 billion by 2025.
