Inaugural shipment part of efforts to expand Philippine mango exports
The Philippines has made its first commercial shipment of fresh Carabao mangoes to Canada, sending 1 tonne to Vancouver as the country seeks new overseas markets for higher-value agricultural products and new income opportunities for farmers.
The shipment, comprising 250 cartons, departed on 18 September at the NAIA Complex in Parañaque City through a partnership between Mensch FilAm and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau under its Outbound Business Matching Mission program.
Fresh Makers, a Vancouver-based distributor serving supermarkets and institutional buyers, will import the mangoes, with Air Canada handling the air transport and Airspeed Cargo providing logistics support.
The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has been working to strengthen the mango industry’s capacity to meet export requirements and sustain access to international markets. More than 40 mango growers’ groups have been consolidated into a single federation to strengthen industry coordination, supply consolidation, and market access.
The DA, through the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), is also addressing disease concerns affecting mango production and strengthening plant health measures needed to meet the requirements of export markets.
BPI and global investment company Mitsui & Co have also signed an agreement to support the development of the Philippine mango industry, further strengthening efforts to expand opportunities for local mango growers and exporters.
Agriculture secretary Francisco P Tiu Laurel Jr said the shipment forms part of the government’s broader strategy to open new markets for Philippine farm products and raise agricultural export earnings.
“Opening new markets means opening new opportunities for our farmers. When we can sell more Philippine agricultural products abroad, we create opportunities to increase farm incomes, encourage more investment in agriculture, and bring greater economic activity to the countryside,” Tiu Laurel said.
He said stronger agricultural exports could also generate opportunities across the farm-to-market value chain, from production and consolidation to logistics, processing, and distribution.
At the send-off ceremony, trade secretary Cristina Roque, agriculture assistant secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Gueavarra joined FilAm President and CEO Racquel S Simon in highlighting the role of public-private partnerships in bringing Philippine farm products to international consumers.
“This shipment represents not only the pride of Filipino farmers but also the strength of public-private partnerships in bringing our agricultural products to the global stage,” Simon said.
