There is already demonstrable global interest in the premier agro-industrial zone. AIEC’s growing list of locators includes at least four nationalities—Filipino, Dutch, Chinese and American. Some notable locators include Del Monte Fresh Produce (stores packaging materials for their fresh fruit exports) and First Panabo Tropical Foods Inc. (processes frozen turon and saba for export). United Good Harvest (processes dried banana chips for export) is also set to begin its operations within the first quarter of this year.
“Most of our locators are involved one way or another in agri-business. Aside from food processing, we signed on a pallet manufacturer that services the needs of plantations, a company that produces packaging material for fresh fruit exporters, and a foam manufacturer which supplies material for packaging, as well. We also seem to be at the positive end of the ongoing trade war between China and the US. A number of Chinese companies are setting up in AIEC in order to be able to continue exporting to the US from the Philippines” explained Lagdameo.
In total, 65 percent of AIEC’s first phase of lots and ready-built facilities have already been leased or sold. Currently, the park is receiving multiple inquiries for the remaining 4 out of the 15 ready-built facilities that have been established. Several more units will also be constructed this year to accommodate the demand.
“What we’ve seen on our end is that locators want to come in quickly. Hence, we will be building our more ready-built facilities for locators to choose from.”
However, the current capacity represents only one of four phases of AIEC. In the next two years, AIEC will roll out two additional industrial phases and one commercial phase. Plans to place a cold-storage facility are also in the works. With major expansion in the pipeline, AIEC will certainly serve as an international business gateway for Mindanao and the country.