Last year, the value of canned tuna exports stood at $174.3 million, taking a 44.6 percent share of the region’s top 10 export products.
Tuna products mainly come from this city, dubbed the “Tuna Capital of the Philippinesâ€. Gensan hosts six of the country’s eight tuna canneries and more than two dozens processors.
United States was the top export destination for products coming from Central Mindanao at 44.9 percent of the foreign market with a value of $175.4 million.
Following it far behind was European Union at 29.1 percent or market value of $113. 7 million and then Singapore at 9.3 percent valued at $36.4 million.
Japan was fourth at 4.6 percent with a value of $18.1 million.
Other major foreign markets for the region’s various products include Taiwan, China, Canada, Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.
At least 511 million kilos of various products have been shipped to these countries last year.