Philippines ships annatto to Viet Nam

PHILIPPINES - Farmers from southern Philippines have begun exporting annatto (bixa orellana) to Viet Nam. Locally this food colourant and additive is known as atsuete. The first shipment amounted to  20 metric tonnes.

Department of Agriculture assistant secretary Dante Delima (5^th from left) leads the inaugural send-off, on July 8, 2013, at the Manila North Harbor Centre. The annatto was bought from farmers in Arakan, North Cotabato and Marilog, Davao City. It was consolidated by Lingkod Saka, Inc., and exported through the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines (VIEVA), with assistance from the DA’s High Value Commercial Crops Program (HVCDP). Also shown are HVCDP director Jennifer Remoquillo (3^rd from right), Bureau of Plant Industry director Clarito Barron (4^th from right), VIEVA president Leah Cruz (4^th from left), farmer-leaders from Cotabato and Davao, and Sikat Saka and VIEVA officials. (Photo courtesy of Kathrino Resurreccion, DA Information Service)