The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is planning to reduce the dependence of local canned sardines makers on imported tomato paste and sauce from China by prioritizing tomato production in its vegetable development program. The initiative aims to meet the annual requirements of 10 sardines factories in Zamboanga, which currently import around 20,000 metric tons of paste and sauce from China. MinDA Chair Emmanuel Piñol is also looking to establish tomato and chili paste processing facilities near the fish processing centers of Zamboanga City and General Santos City.