The Philippines exported its first batch of fresh mangoes to Sydney and Perth, giving Australians a taste of the Guinness Book of World Records’ “sweetest mangoes in the world.”
Local farms in the Davao del Sur municipalities of Malalag, Digos, Bansalan, and Magsaysay harvested the first shipment of the most popular mango type, Carabao, and shipped it to Australia on Sept. 8.
Mangoes are the most popular tropical fruit in the Philippines, where they are grown all year.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the production of mangoes in the Philippines for the first quarter of 2023 was expected to climb by two percent from the 94 thousand metric tons produced in the same quarter of 2022 to 95.86 thousand metric tons.
Meanwhile, data from the Philippine Department of Agriculture's High-Value Crops Development Program revealed that the country's fresh mango exports climbed from 8,804 MT in 2018 to 11,498 MT in 2022, with Hong Kong being the main market and Korea and Japan following closely behind.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF) approved trade to begin on Aug. 30, 2023, after months of planning and ensuring that the Specific Commodity Understanding (SCU) for the Importation of Fresh Mango Fruit from the Philippines to Australia is strictly complied with.
The Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) was introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in connection with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) entering into force last June to maximize the nation's latent export potential.
In a news conference at Malacanang, DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual stated that PEDP strives to address difficulties the Philippines faces in several economic sectors, particularly the exports sector, by maximizing the prospects for the nation's export growth.
Together with the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) - Sydney Commercial Counsellor Alma Argayoso hails this encouraging trade progress between the two nations.
The APBC, which is the leading business organization devoted to promoting trade and investment between Australia and the Philippines, asserted that mango export helps sustain the Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight that was recently launched between Manila and Perth and between Western Australia and Mindanao.
PAL is the only airline that can provide a smooth transition from Davao or General Santos City to Manila and then deliver an immediate flight to Perth from one warehouse. (Ma. Joselie C. Garcia)