First commercial shipment of fresh Philippine mangoes arrive in Canada, opening new export pathway

Transported by Philippine Airlines Cargo on June 3, the mango shipment represents the first commercial delivery of the product to Canada and is expected to pave the way for regular exports of the country’s flagship fruit to North America. The delivery is expected to coincide with the June 12 Philippine Independence Day celebrations.The initial batch, 400 cartons weighing approximately 1 metric ton, is set to be sold through Seafood City, one of the largest Filipino supermarket chains in North America, and online fruit retailer Fruter.ca, providing Canadian consumers with access to mangoes widely regarded as among the sweetest in the world.Carabao mangoes are much sought-after because of their exceptional sweetness. The initial batch was harvested from farms in Northern Luzon and Zambales.The consignment was formally dispatched in the Philippines by Agriculture Undersecretary for High Value Export Crops and Agri-Fishery Export Development and Promotion Philip Young, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Economic and Cultural Diplomacy Raquel Solano, and Trade and Industry–Export Marketing Bureau Director Bianca Pearl Sykimte.The export initiative was made p​ossible through a coordinated effort involving the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Toronto, and the Philippine Agriculture Office in Washington, D.C., working alongside Philippine Airlines, exporters Castillo Import Export Ventures Inc., Hi-Las Marketing Corp. and Toronto-based importer TSI Tropicals.Officials said the shipment supports the Philippines’ broader strategy of increasing agricultural exports, strengthening international supply chains, boosting the country’s dollar earnings and raising the profile of premium Filipino products in overseas markets.