TAGOLOAN, Misamis Oriental – The Phividec Industrial Estate signed an agreement with Del Monte Philippines on July 10, allowing the food giant to cultivate more than 226 hectares within its 3,000-hectare industrial zone in Misamis Oriental.
Phividec Administrator Joseph Donato Bernedo said Del Monte Philippines paid more than P33 million to cultivate 119 hectares for pineapple production and 107 hectares for papaya production over two planting seasons on the estate’s uncultivated lands in Tagoloan and Villanueva towns, Misamis Oriental.
Bernedo said the agreement stipulates that if an industrial firm wants to relocate onto these lands, Del Monte Philippines would immediately cease its farming activities.
“This is a great partnership to unlock the uncultivated lands of the industrial estate to productive food sources,” Bernedo said.
Del Monte Philippines, a group owned by businessman Joselito Campos, is entirely unrelated to Del Monte Foods, a U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Ltd.
The U.S. subsidiary recently made news after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, according to Reynaldo Doria, chief supply officer for Del Monte Philippines Mindanao operations.
Doria said Del Monte Philippines earned P442 billion during the fiscal year ending in April 2025, a 14% increase driven by strong consumer demand.
He said international sales increased significantly by 22% to P19.5 billion, driven by sales growth of fresh and packaged pineapple exports to China, South Korea and Japan.
“We have significant sales last year and that is why Del Monte Philippines is investing in new lands. Del Monte Foods is entirely different,” Doria said.
Marco Parfan, Del Monte Philippines senior manager for Mindanao legal and compliance, said the pineapple and papaya production will be handled by farmer beneficiaries from Tagoloan and Villanueva towns.
