The Philippines and India are looking at enormous opportunity for trade cooperation on marine fishery and aquaculture starting off with Philippines’ potential investments in putting up tuna processing facilities in India or importing its needed tuna raw materials from India.
During the India Philippines Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture virtual business conference on Thursday attended by representatives of India’s fishery industry and the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Fisheries Inc., Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran highlighted that India is looking at investment and technology exchange in fisheries with the Philippines.
“It will be the start of a long process of linking to raise productivity. We invite you to look at business opportunities in India,” Kumaran said.
He said India and the Philippines have enormous opportunities to learn together, exchange technologies, build capacity, and enact policies that can support both countries’ fisheries sectors.
“In the post Covid world, health security is really important. But equally important is food security. We must work together to make our food more climate resilient and supply chain more stronger… more vibrant and dynamic,” Kumaran said.
In particular, there is a huge opportunity for tuna value addition in India as it produces largely tuna ready for canning, according to Cherian Kurian, managing director of India’s M/S HIC ABF Special Foods. This is where Philippines’ global leadership in tuna processing and canning comes in.
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