Agri-entrepreneur of the Year award goes to ‘Mango King’ anew

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines – Ilocos Norte’s Mango king Ricardo ‘Carding’ Tolentino was again recognized by the Department of Agriculture as ‘Agri-Entrepreneur of the Year’ in this year’s National Gawad Saka Awards.

Tolentino, who was also cited as an ‘Outstanding High-Value Cash Crop Farmer’ in 2008, is acknowledged as the country’s ‘Mango King’ for owning a farm bearing thousands of full-grown mango trees that are in compliance with GAP (good agricultural practices).

“This award (Agri-Entrepreneur of the Year) is one of the hardest categories (of the Gawad Saka Awards) and your accomplishments should definitely stand out because your excellent contenders come from vegetables, rice, corn production as well as those in fisheries and livestock,”  Tolentino said.

llocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos commended Tolentino for his recent feat as she maintained the provincial government’s support for  strengthening the mango industry in the province.

Last year, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte together with the DA led the shelling out of funds  amounting to P 4.7 million to help the growers rehabilitate old mango trees.

 Tolentino thanked the provincial government and continues to urge everyone to hold on to their traditional Ilocano values of “being enduring, dedicated and faithful to God” in achieving their dreams in life.

Despite finishing a college degree in a maritime school, the 56-year old Tolentino revealed that “agriculture has always been a part of his life since he was a child.”

 “I grew up and lived with the help of agriculture and maybe this became my edge among the others who have also vied for the award. I struggled when I was young and agriculture is one of the reasons why I have succeeded and established other businesses,” Tolentino added.

Apart from managing mango trees, Tolentino also has a fish pond, piggery, dragon fruit and vegetables farm.  He has contracted other mango farms in the provinces of Cagayan, Ifugao and Isabela.

Tolentino is also the president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Ilocos Norte Chapter.

The Gawad Saka Awards is an annual national search for outstanding achievers in agriculture and fisheries which gives due recognition to individuals and institutions whose exemplary contribution in the country’s agricultural development are deemed worthy of emulation.

The regional awarding will be held on Nov. 19 in La Union while the national conferment has yet to be announced.