The delivery is the first time Philippine mangoes have been commercially exported to Italy, a feat driven by a collective of Filipino entrepreneurs and backed by the Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

In a media release, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. thanked all those who worked for the historic mango shipment to Italy, which is a realization of the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of expanding Philippine agricultural export markets to increase farmers income and generate more jobs and investment in the farm sector. 

“It shows what can happen when public institutions, private initiative, and overseas Filipinos work together to elevate Philippine products to global standards,” he said in a statement.

In her report to the DA chief, Agriculture Attaché to Italy Dr. Josyline C. Javelosa credited a dynamic group of Filipino small-business owners in Rome , a few members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce in Italy, for making the venture possible.

Javelosa said this group of Filipinos had no prior experience in importing fresh produce. But through persistent coordination, guidance, and technical support of the DA Attache’s Office in Italy, the group successfully navigated Italy’s rigorous import regulations and introduced one of the Philippines’ most beloved fruits to the Italian market.

The mangoes in this initial batch were sourced from farms in Pangasinan, with the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry ensuring that all sanitary and phytosanitary certifications were in place.

BPI Director Glenn Panganiban noted that many Philippine mango farms already comply with Italy’s strict plant health standards, making this expansion feasible and sustainable.

This is also the result of the technical discussions represented by the DA BPI as the National Plant Protection Office (NPPO) of the Philippines during conferences such as Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM).

Secretary Tiu Laurel said this maiden mango export to Italy is more than a one-off achievement—it is a signal to the entire mango industry.

“This development should encourage our mango farmers to aim for premium quality. It also opens the door for more investment, from both government and the private sector, to strengthen the competitiveness of Philippine mangoes globally,” he said.

The export is also aligned with the Marcos administration’s broader international development strategy. Mangoes have been identified as the country’s flagship commodity under the Food and Agriculture Organization’s One Country One Priority Product initiative. The goal is to build sustainable, climate-resilient agricultural value chains that benefit farmers and rural communities.

Dr. Javelosa, who also serves as the Philippines’ Deputy Permanent Representative to UN Rome-based agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Program (WFP), and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), emphasized the strategic importance of mangoes in international cooperation.

“This export milestone reflects the Philippines’ commitment to green agriculture and inclusive development,” she said.

Further solidifying this effort, the Philippines has included mangoes in the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Investment Initiative, which matches donor and development support with national agricultural plans.

In October 2024, Secretary Tiu Laurel presented in Rome an investment case worth $50 million aimed at sustainably supporting an additional 27,000 mango farming households.

With this first shipment, Philippine mangoes are now poised to win over Italian consumers—not just as a tropical delicacy, but as a symbol of agricultural resilience, diaspora unity, and global ambition. 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the Enhanced Philippine Seaweed Development Program (EPSDP) is part of the Department’s broader goal of boosting the aquaculture sector, particularly focusing on seaweed, which is one of the country’s major agricultural exports.

“BFAR data reveals significant growth potential for seaweed farming, with identified expansion of 64,000 hectares that could increase annual output by more or less 50%. This represents a low-hanging fruit that could create thousands of jobs and substantially boost the country’s foreign exchange earnings,” Secretary Tiu Laurel explained.

Isidro Velayo Jr., Officer-in-Charge of BFAR, said around half of the budget for the program will be allocated for the distribution of seaweed farm implements, establishment of 109 new nurseries, and maintenance of 24 existing seaweed culture areas. “We will also construct eight warehouses, 34 mechanical dryers, and 80 seaweed food carts to be distributed across the country,” he said.

Velayo further mentioned that BFAR has set aside P10 million for the purchase of two bioreactors, which are expected to produce 4,100 metric tons of propagules, or seaweed planting materials, next year. These propagules would be sufficient to cultivate seaweed across 410 hectares and yield an estimated 102.5 million kilograms of fresh seaweed, valued at approximately P850 million at P58.00/kg (dry weight), he added.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the industry produced around 1.6 million metric tons of fresh seaweed in 2023, which resulted in the production of about 228,570 metric tons of seaweed products having a total value of P12.7 billion pesos.

BFAR also notes that the Province of Tawi-tawi has 20,000 hectares of potential seaweed farming areas, in addition to the existing 62,000 hectares seaweed farms. Furthermore, potential farming areas of Southwestern Luzon and the Zamboanga Peninsula cover 12,736 hectares and 16,845 hectares, respectively.