𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗗𝗔 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆’𝘀 𝗣𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁

DAVAO CITY (September 10)— The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is advancing Mindanao’s mango industry toward renewed global market participation by bringing growers, government agencies, industry players, academe, and New Zealand partners together to strengthen the export pathway for Philippine mangoes to New Zealand.

MinDA Chairperson Secretary Leo Tereso A. Magno, whose extensive business and enterprise experience has shaped his approach to development and investment, underscored the importance of connecting Mindanao producers to high-value markets and creating opportunities for enterprises to move beyond production toward stronger commercial participation.

Drawing on his business experience, Magno emphasized that market access must be matched by competitiveness, quality, compliance, reliable supply, and strong business linkages—key elements in turning Mindanao’s agricultural potential into sustainable economic opportunities.

He said initiatives such as the mango export program are important in creating a pathway where farmers and local enterprises can participate in international markets, attract commercial opportunities, and capture greater value from Mindanao’s agricultural products.

“If there are regulatory needs or any aspect of this effort that requires assistance from the Mindanao Development Authority, our team is open and ready to provide the necessary support,” Magno said.

Magno also underscored the initiative’s potential to help Mindanao mango farmers meet New Zealand’s export standards and expand the industry’s access to international markets, stressing the importance of building an export ecosystem that benefits not only growers but also processors, traders, logistics providers, exporters, and other businesses within the value chain.

Held on September 10, 2026, the orientation and seminar, organized through MinDA’s continuing collaboration with the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute (NZ-BSI) and its partners, brought together stakeholders to discuss the requirements for accessing the New Zealand market while also marking the 60th anniversary of Philippines-New Zealand diplomatic relations, a milestone underscored by the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Partnership in 2026.

Meanwhile, MinDA Deputy Executive Director ASec. Romeo M. Montenegro said the orientation forms part of the Authority’s sustained partnership with NZ-BSI and Plant & Food Research in pursuing the project, “Supporting High-Quality Residue-Compliant Mango Exports from the Philippines.”

“From the very beginning, we have been committed to providing the policy support, coordination, and strategic platform needed to turn this vision into reality, because we believe that Mindanao’s mango industry holds immense potential and our farmers deserve premium access to high-value markets like New Zealand,” Montenegro said.

For MinDA, the engagement represents a concrete step in re-engaging Mindanao’s mango stakeholders in the global market, creating an export pathway previously unavailable to the region’s growers and demonstrating the value of sustained coordination among government, science, industry, and local stakeholders.

The initiative also reflects Magno’s broader development perspective, shaped by his involvement in business and enterprise, where competitiveness, market positioning, investment, partnerships, and sustainable growth are essential to building successful ventures. Applied to Mindanao’s development agenda, this perspective emphasizes creating commercially viable opportunities that can translate the region’s resources and productive sectors into stronger enterprises and investment opportunities.

New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Dr. Catherine McIntosh underscored the depth of the partnership behind the initiative, recognizing the contributions of NZ-BSI, MinDA, the Local Government Unit of Midsayap, academe, industry partners, government agencies, and mango stakeholders in developing a science-based approach to improving Philippine mango exports.

“This project has brought together not only institutions but also people, creating new friendships and strong working relationships while addressing the challenges that have limited the ability of Philippine mangoes to reach premium international markets,” Ambassador McIntosh said.

The engagement also reinforced New Zealand’s interest in expanding economic and trade cooperation with the Philippines, including efforts to increase trade by 50 percent through practical market opportunities and stronger commercial linkages, consistent with the broader bilateral push to deepen trade and economic engagement.

NZ-BSI Principal Scientist and Science Team Leader for Biological Control and Induced Resistance Dr. Philip Elmer presented the project’s technical framework, highlighting its focus on improving mango quality through pathogen identification, residue management, optimized spray programs, Good Agricultural Practices, post-harvest treatment, and end-to-end monitoring for export readiness.

“The program is about getting the production system right, managing residues and pests effectively, strengthening food safety, and building a pathway that can support high-quality mango exports into demanding international markets,” Dr. Elmer said.

The three-year co-investment initiative implemented from 2023 to 2025 by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Local Government Unit of Midsayap, with partners including MinDA, NZ-BSI/Plant & Food Research, UP Mindanao, DoleAsia, and the Bureau of Plant Industry, pursued trial shipments, GAP-aligned production, low-residue crop protection, fruit bagging, post-harvest treatment, and end-to-end monitoring as foundations for sustained trade.

In his testimony, Retired General Mario Avenido, a local mango grower from Digos City, said the project’s technical interventions were practical to apply in field operations, particularly as the improved production process reduced the number of crop-spraying applications from about 21 to 10, shortening spraying time while contributing to better fruit quality.

A key direction emerging from the engagement is to convert the market opportunity into a controlled, quality-backed entry strategy by first establishing credibility among Filipino consumers in New Zealand, then progressively building awareness and demand among the wider market while ensuring compliance, product consistency, and reliable shipment performance.

Also present were New Zealand Business Manager Declan Graham; NZ-BSI Principal Scientist Graham Walker; NZ-BSI Researcher Michelle Vergara; NZ-BSI Project Team Leader Guinevere Ortiz; NZ-BSI Consultant in the Philippines Vincent Lao; Midsayap Mayor Rolly Sacdalan; Dole Asia Fresh Director Roy Ortiz; Carmen Sunrise Exporters Inc. Assistant Manager for Operations Mark Angelo Catungal; BPI Supervising Agriculturist Hazel Joy Milloren; BPI Biologist II Cherimae M. Borreros; MinDA International Relations Division DMO IV Sylvester Sales; and representatives from UP Mindanao, University of Southern Mindanao, local government units, and farmers’ cooperatives.

The initiative advances President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen agriculture, expand market access, and create greater opportunities for farmers through MinDA’s Transformational Enterprise Support for the Agribusiness Value-Chains of Mindanao (TEAM) project, which connects producers and enterprises to stronger value chains and market opportunities.

It also supports the Marcos administration’s push for trade and industry development through the Mindanao Investment and Financing Promotion Program (MIFPP), which strengthens market linkages, improves the competitiveness of Mindanao enterprises, and facilitates opportunities for higher-value domestic and international markets.

Aligned with President Marcos Jr.’s call for stronger food security and international partnerships, MinDA is advancing the Mindanao Agenda on Food Nexus by linking agricultural productivity, food safety, science, technology, enterprise development, and international cooperation to create sustainable opportunities for Mindanao farmers and agribusinesses.-with Minda PR