A seven-ton trial shipment of steamed saba bananas from Davao City is set to reach Sydney, Australia, opening a potential new export market for farmers in the upland communities of Marilog District.
Davao-based food processor Golden Flavours Pastries and Gourmet Inc. held a send-off ceremony Tuesday for the shipment, which is scheduled to leave for Sydney on September 27.
The consignment marks the company’s first venture into the international market and is intended to test demand for its steamed saba product in Australia.
Golden Flavours CEO Razel Ann Suy Tan said the company sources its saba from farmers in upland Marilog, linking local growers directly to an overseas market.
“So this is our first shipment trial. So we’re hoping that it will push through the market there in Australia,” Tan said.
She said the company is tentatively planning another shipment next month, depending on the response to the initial consignment.
Tan added that Golden Flavours is also looking into other agricultural products that can be processed and exported, potentially creating additional markets for local farmers.
Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro said the initiative demonstrates how processing and value-adding can help local agricultural products reach higher-value markets.
“This project creates a direct link from our small farmers and Indigenous Peoples who grow the bananas to high-value markets as far as Australia,” Montenegro said.
He said initiatives like the shipment could help small producers meet the volume and quality requirements of larger markets while allowing them to earn more from their products.
“We commend Golden Flavours for this endeavor, and for helping small producers achieve the volume, quality, and value-adding required by larger markets. The goal is not simply to produce more, but to enable our farmers to move up the value chain, access better markets, and earn more from what they produce,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture 11 also highlighted the cultural significance of bringing a familiar Filipino food product to Filipinos living abroad.
DA 11 Regional Technical Director for Operations Marie Ann M. Constantino said the shipment could help overseas Filipinos reconnect with locally produced food.
“Makakarating po ito sa ating mga kababayan na Pilipino. Iyan po ang pinakapunto namin, na nagre-request na sana po ang ating produkto makakarating sa kanila at matikman ulit nila ang tikim Pilipino,” Constantino said.
The shipment reflects efforts to promote value-adding in agriculture, allowing locally grown produce to be processed into higher-value products while opening opportunities for farmers to access markets beyond the Philippines.
For Golden Flavours and the farmers supplying its saba, the Sydney shipment serves as an initial step toward determining whether Davao’s processed banana products can gain a foothold in the Australian market.
