Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – Philippine mangoes and bananas are among the products from Mindanao which Sabah is willing to take in immediately as part of the revival of the Barter Trade between Malaysia and the Philippines.
During a call on Sabah Chief Minister Mohd Shafie Apdal along with former Secretary Paul Dominguez of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) yesterday, I was informed that mangoes sell for P300 per kilo in the Kota Kinabalu market while the internationally popular Cavendish Banana from Mindanao is totally absent in the market.
The Sabah Chief Minister said that because of the growing tourism industry of Sabah, there is an increased demand on quality food for the estimated 4-million tourists who come to the area every year.
There is also a huge demand for halal chicken and goat meat, the Chief Minister told the 4-man Philippine delegation which called on him yesterday, Nov. 22.
The Kota Kinabalu sortie was arranged by Paul Dominguez, himself former head of the Mindanao Development Council (MEDCO), which is now the Mindanao Development Authority.
Paul is personally supporting me in my new task as Chairman of the MinDA by linking me up with his former partners in the BIMP-EAGA or Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asia Growth Area.
From Kota Kinabalu, I will fly with Paul and the two staff today to Kuching, Malaysia for the meeting of Senior Officers and Ministers of the BIMP-EAGA.
As Chairman of MinDA, I am also the Signing Minister for the Philippines in the BIMP-EAGA.
During the meeting with Chief Minister Shafie, it was agreed that MinDA will arrange a follow through visit by a business delegation from Mindanao to Kota Kinabalu in January next year.
(Photos by Mayette Tudlas, MinDA OC)
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