MINDANAO’s mango industry has lost its footing in the international arena due to sluggish production, an agribusiness expert said.
During the Kapihan sa Dabaw on Monday, July 6, Benedicto Alves, president of the Davao Region Integrated Mango Agribusiness Council, said, “We lost the competition. We lost to countries that used to be not very popular before, so it’s about time that we do something about it,” he said.
He noted that the country used to be a major international mango supplier, supplying 90% of its exports to Hong Kong and ranking second or third to Japan in terms of volume.
But the country was overtaken by Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, among others, and practically disappeared from the international scene.
Alves said the downward spiral was the result of several factors, like pests and diseases, and rising production costs.
He reported that Mindanao in total produces an estimated 400,000 metric tons annually, but on fresh mangoes, he said the exportation has shrunk drastically and has reached “almost none.”
“Right now, almost none, in fresh form, but they have been processed into dried mangoes and exported also,” he said.
But he said even with dried mangoes, the country is already losing competitiveness. While the Philippine dried mangoes are known as the best tasting, they are also one of the most expensive. As a result, Cambodia has stepped in to fill the market vacuum. In fact, Philippine processors even branch out to Cambodia to secure a piece of the pie.
Davao City is set to host the 2nd Mindanao Mango Congress 2026, a three-day gathering scheduled for Aug. 12–14, 2026, at the Grand Regal Hotel.
Organized by the Mindanao Integrated Mango Stakeholders Association, Inc. (MIMSA) and the DRIMACO in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture XI, the congress will bring mango farmers, industry leaders, government agencies, researchers, and agribusiness stakeholders from across Mindanao and the country.
The event will allow collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and discussions on strategies to strengthen and sustain the Philippine mango industry.
Technology demonstrations on the application of fertilizer through drone spraying, agribusiness exhibits, farm visits, among others, are expected during the forum.
The congress aims to put Mindanao on the map of the national mango industry, considering the dearth of promotion, unlike Luzon and Guimaras, which feature nationally publicized mango festivals annually.
