MANILA, 19 May 2016 - A mission from South Korea's Ministry of Food, Drug and Safety (MFDS) and the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) visited Manila on 12-19 May 2016 to conduct site visits necessary to evaluate possible future orders of dressed chicken from the Philippines.

The Korean delegation, led by Mr. Lee Ki-joong, Director of the Busan Regional Food and Drug Administration, MFDS, visited chicken processing facilities located in the provinces of Quezon, Cavite and La Union. The visit signaled the continuing interest of South Korea in the Philippines as a supplier of dressed chicken, thanks to the latter's avian influenza-free status. The Philippines was granted permission by MFDS and QIA in 2013 to engage in the export of dressed chicken to South Korea. The Philippines considers South Korea as a promising market for chicken exports. The mission met with officials from the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City. At the delegation's courtesy call, Philippine Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala expressed appreciation for the mission's visit and conveyed the Philippines' interest to pursue exports of chicken and other agricultural commodities to South Korea.