Ilocos Norte is one of the biggest producers of mango in the Philippines, with many of its fresh produce going to other provinces like Cebu and even to international markets in East Asia.
Recardo Tolentino, the “Mango King” of Region 1 and one of the forces behind Mango King Food Products, said that their province has been mitigating problems in their mango farms with good agricultural practices, particularly in pest control and disease management.
Among the challenges that he saw were bringing production costs down and diversifying the market for Philippine mangoes. For example, mango-producing countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia are able to bring production costs to at least half of what ours currently are while still giving consumers a variety of options on mango products that they can buy.
AgriLink FoodLink AquaLink 2023 will highlight these challenges and serve as a platform for bringing together the public and private sectors as well as farmers and stakeholders and exploring how the Philippine mango industry can thrive. Learn more at agrilink.com.ph.