The Davao Region’s mango industry is calling for a comprehensive roadmap to help revive the Philippines’ position in the global mango market as producers grapple with rising production costs, persistent pest and disease problems, and dwindling exports.
Benedicto Alves, chairman of the Davao Region Integrated Mango Agribusiness Council (DRIMACO), said the proposed roadmap will be a major focus of the Mindanao Mango Congress 2026, set for August 12 to 14 at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City.
The three-day gathering, organized by the Mindanao Integrated Mango Stakeholders Association (MIMSA) and DRIMACO, is expected to bring together around 300 mango growers, processors, exporters, researchers, and industry stakeholders from across the Philippines.
Speaking during Kapehan sa Davao on Monday, Alves said the country has steadily lost its edge in the international mango trade despite once being among the world’s leading suppliers.
“There was a time when the Philippines dominated key export markets. Around the turn of the century, we supplied about 90 percent of Hong Kong’s imported mangoes and ranked among Japan’s top suppliers of fresh mangoes,” he said.
However, he noted that by around 2010, neighboring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia had overtaken the Philippines in the export market.
According to Alves, the industry’s decline has been driven by multiple challenges, including pests and diseases, escalating production costs, and market-related constraints.
“The reasons are many. We could not fully control pests and diseases, production costs continued to rise, and marketing has also become a major challenge,” he said.
To address these concerns, Alves said industry players are pushing for a roadmap that will identify practical strategies to revitalize mango production and exports.
“We don’t really have a roadmap yet, but we have to create one. The Philippines should not simply give up on one of its natural advantages,” he said.
Alves also questioned existing production statistics, saying Mindanao’s actual mango output is significantly higher than official estimates. He estimated that Regions 11 and 12 each produce around 120,000 metric tons annually, bringing Mindanao’s total production to nearly 400,000 metric tons.
He contrasted this with Philippine Statistics Authority figures, which place Luzon’s production at roughly 300,000 metric tons.
Despite strong production, Alves lamented that the country’s fresh mango exports have nearly disappeared, while processed mango products are facing tougher competition overseas.
“Philippine dried mango is still considered the best-tasting in the world, but it is also among the most expensive. That makes it difficult to compete with products from countries like Cambodia,” he said.
Alves emphasized that rebuilding the industry’s competitiveness will require stronger cooperation between government agencies and private stakeholders.
