MANILA, Philippines — FAST Logistics Groups is venturing into the agriculture sector following its first successful shipment of premium mangoes from the island province of Guimaras to Metro Manila.
The Guimaras mangoes were showcased at the recent International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines at World Trade Center in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and the provincial government of Guimaras.
FAST said the Guimaras mangoes, which it directly bought from growers and producers, were transported to Manila using a two-tonner refrigerated truck, a milestone since most produce from the province were shipped using non-refrigerated vans.
Upon arriving in Manila, the mangoes were stored at the firm’s cold chain hub in Cavite that is equipped with sophisticated monitoring systems and real-time data tracking to ensure that the fruits were kept at optimal conditions.
“This marks the first time Guimaras mangoes were transported using a dedicated cold chain vehicle, helping preserve their freshness and quality from farm to exhibition,” the logistics group said.
Guimaras mangoes are known for their unique qualities, including being the sweetest of its kind, tied to its area of origins as certified by the certificate of geographical indication issued by the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.
The logistics group said the shipment of Guimaras mangoes was not a one-time initiative as it is actively engaging with interested buyers and resellers for more consistent and sustainable transport of the prized fruit to Metro Manila.
“Our goal is to support local farmers and buyers by serving as their reliable logistics partner. We aim to connect farmers of other high-quality Philippine produce to a wider market,” FAST said.
FAST CEO for logistics Manuel Onrejas Jr. said the firm stands ready to provide agriculture industry players regardless of their size with end-to-end supply chain solutions to champion their products both locally and globally.
Onrejas added that proper logistics is necessary to solve persisting challenges in the agriculture value chain such as spoilage, lack of market access and inefficient transport systems.