SOUTH COTABATO, PHILIPPINES: Mr. Muhamed Salim bin Mohd Ali, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet), conducted a preliminary site visit to selected pineapple companies in Southern Mindanao on 16–17 February 2026. He was accompanied by Mr. Christian Cangao, Information Officer of TFNet.
The visit aimed to survey potential sites for a planned delegation of Malaysian pineapple industry players scheduled for April 2026, as well as to strengthen networking and collaboration between TFNet and key private sector stakeholders in the Philippine pineapple industry.
The pineapple companies that welcomed TFNet were Dole Philippines Inc., Sun Farms, and GS Fruits. Dolefil is a multinational company that is one of the biggest pineapple producers in the world, exporting 26 million cases of processed pineapple and 13 million boxes of fresh pineapple annually. Meanwhile, Sun Farms and GS Fruits are both local companies that supply fruits to exporters such as Sumifru and Dole.
During the visit, the companies presented their operations, which included:
• The four stages of cultural practices for pineapple production: establishment, vegetative growth, flowering induction, and fruit development;
• Harvesting, sorting, and grading processes;
• Packinghouse facilities for fresh fruit export, including postharvest handling, treatment, and packaging systems.
The visit was co-organized by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which facilitated access to the farms, provided logistical support and transportation, and guided TFNet throughout the visit in South Cotabato. The BPI officers who accompanied TFNet were Mr. El-Khaled Gordolan and Mr. Marc Geric.
This preliminary mission forms part of TFNet’s ongoing efforts to promote regional collaboration, technology exchange, and market linkages within the tropical fruit sector, particularly between Malaysia and the Philippines.
