PHL hoping technical exchanges open Australia’s doors to banana exports

THE Philippine push to export fresh Cavendish bananas to Australia are currently the subject of negotiations and technical exchanges between the two governments, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) said.

BPI Director Gerald Glenn F. Panganiban said the agency remains in regular contact with Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to revive the stalled export bid.

“We are in constant communication with the Australian Government, through their agriculture department,” he told reporters. “We have exchanged technical information again because we want to revive that.”

Australian authorities had planned an inspection visit in late 2025, but the trip did not materialize. The visit is now scheduled for early 2026.

According to the DAFF, the technical visit aims to gather information on Philippine commercial production, pest management, and export practices.

Australia currently does not permit the import of fresh bananas from any country. Its first import risk analysis for Philippine Cavendish bananas, conducted in 2008, concluded that imports could be allowed under strict biosecurity conditions.

The 2008 assessment of the Philippine banana industry flagged key pests and diseases of concern, including Moko disease, black Sigatoka, and banana freckle, as well as several arthropod pests.

Mr. Panganiban said the Philippines is proposing alternative measures to address these biosecurity concerns.

“What we are pushing now is a holistic way on how to sanitize our farms, our Philippine good agricultural practices, and basically our protocols before export. Even in our residue levels, we are testing before we can supply,” he said.

The DAFF said Australian authorities are reviewing Philippine proposals to determine whether the measures can adequately manage the identified risks.

The review also covers additional requests from Manila, including the inclusion of another banana cultivar and an additional export area.

Aside from scientific assessments and the planned technical visit, the DAFF said the process would require the publication of an issues paper, and eventually a draft report for public consultation before any final decision on market access can be made.

“This assessment is complex, and the full process could take several years to complete. If imports commence, the feasibility of trade ultimately depends on Australian consumers,” the DAFF said. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel