More Philippine mangoes off to Australia

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is set to ship a new batch of mangoes to Australia this month, a move that is expected to help strengthen trade ties between the two countries.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said logistics firm FastboxPh would dispatch the second batch of the country’s renowned mangoes to Australia within the month, less than a year after the first batch was shipped in September last year.

The present batch covers 3,000 kilograms of mangoes from Zambales for Perth and Sydney, the DTI said in a statement issued over the weekend.

“The Philippines and Australia share a strong commitment to fostering trade ties, and the arrival of our mangoes signifies a delightful milestone in our partnership, especially as we celebrate Filipino Food Month in April,” Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen De La Vega said.

FastboxPh, which has been entrusted with the mango shipment, reported an increase in demand within the Australian market, citing the unparalleled taste and quality of Philippine mangoes.

With Philippine mango exports to Australia adhering to stringent biosecurity regulations and inspection procedures, FastboxPh is aiming to form partnerships with more retailers and distributors to make Philippine mangoes more accessible to Australian consumers.

“The overwhelmingly positive response to our initial shipment last year has paved the way for a triumphant return of Philippine mangoes to Australian tables this April. We are steadfast in our commitment to making Philippine mangoes a household staple in Australia,” said FastboxPh managing director Miguel Ripoll.

The DTI said an additional shipment would follow after two to three weeks and possibly another batch in June.

It said the last batch for the year is expected to be shipped in August or September before the mango season in Australia starts.

With the market access, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the DTI expects an increase in trade between the two countries.

“The continued growth in our bilateral trade underscores the vast potential for our products in the Australian market. The successful export of our mangoes exemplifies the significant strides we’re making in facilitating agricultural trade, which is pivotal for our economic agenda,” he said.

Last year, trade between the Philippines and Australia rose by 20 percent to $4.1 billion from the previous year’s $3.4 billion.

Pascual said the challenge, however, would be on the production side.

“We will check the status of our mango industry. For DTI, we would like to provide enhanced market access for our stakeholders or exporters to as many countries as possible, even the non-traditional partners,” he said.

For this year, the DTI is working on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union, the United Arab Emirates and Canada under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Canada FTA negotiation.