The Philippines has successfully completed its first commercial shipment of mangoes to Italy, marking a milestone in the country’s agricultural export expansion, the Department of Agriculture (DA)announced Monday.
Roughly half a metric ton of mangoes, sourced from Pangasinan, arrived at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport last week. The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) ensured full compliance with Italy’s stringent plant health and phytosanitary standards, reinforcing the credibility of Philippine mango exports in high-value markets.
“This development should encourage our mango farmers to aim for premium quality,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., noting the shipment’s potential to attract further investment and support for mango growers. He emphasized that the export is part of a long-term strategy, not a one-time event.
BPI director Glenn Panganiban added that many Philippine mango farms are already aligned with European Union plant health protocols, making the initiative both feasible and sustainable.
The milestone also supports the country’s participation in the FAO’s One Country One Priority Product and Hand-in-Hand Investment initiatives, which promote mangoes as the Philippines’ flagship commodity for global trade and development partnerships.
The effort was aided by Filipino entrepreneurs in Rome and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Italy, according to Agriculture attaché Dr. Josyline Javelosa. The export builds on earlier promotional efforts, including a USD50-million investment case presented by the DA in Rome in October 2024 to support an estimated 27,000 mango-farming households.
Despite a slight dip in production, with 2024 mango output at 763,298.62 MT, this export underscores the fruit’s enduring commercial appeal and global potential.
