The Philippine government is urging the country's banana exporters to look for alternative markets to Iran, in the face of ongoing problems shipping to this key destination, reports www.malaya.com.ph.
Trade secretary Gregory Domingo has instructed trade attachés to investigate potential new markets in the Middle East and Europe, the article said.
"Iran had problems remitting their payments," Domingo is quoted as saying, referring to Western sanctions against Iran. "We have to diversify our markets."
In 2011, the Philippines exported 560,000 tonnes of bananas to the Middle East, half of which was to Iran, according to the website.
The Philippines is the world's third largest banana exporter.
