It would be a long shot but the Department of Agriculture (DA) still wants to see the country’s agriculture exports turning in some revenues even during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was after exports of agriculture and fishery products provided the bright spot to the otherwise bleak picture of the country’s total trade numbers, inching up by 12 percent from January to March while the rest of the export commodities are down. Encouraged by the sector’s performance, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said: “DA will work hard to push agriculture exports in the succeeding months as the sector is seen as a major foreign exchange earner with the ability to provide employment to a huge part of the country’s population.” “Agri-fishery exports will continue to play a major part as the country progresses to the ‘new normal’ at the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to generate revenues and employment, and agriculture is the best sector to answer to this call,” he further said.

Miraflor, M. B. (2020, May 11). DA vows to sustain agri, fishery exports. Manila Bulletin, p. B-3.