Free Trade Agreement with the US: What's in It for Philippine Agriculture?

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Through a free trade agreement (FTA), the Philippines, like other less developed countries, hopes to achieve greater access to the US market. For the Philippine agriculture, this is particularly significant given the unfavorable trend in its trade balance with the US. An FTA also has implications on the structure of Philippine agriculture as domestic production adjustments have to be made under a new trading arrangement. This article outlines the implications of an FTA on the agricultural sector. While no quantitative assessments have been made, it presents the broad view that it is pragmatic to negotiate an agreement for agriculture because for one, the agreement offers new opportunities for agricultural trade.