Philippines: Mango industry dev't plan underway

Efforts are underway to strengthen the mango industry in Central Mindanao region via the crafting of a strategic
plan expected to improve quality and volume, a local agriculture official said Friday. Reynaldo Legaste, South
Cotabato chief agricultural officer, said agriculture officials in the region have seen the need to fortify the capacity
of mango growers in the region in a bid to increase mango exports of the country as well as supplies in the local
market.

"The Philippines is supplying just 7 percent to the global market. What we are trying to do is come up with a
strategic plan where mango growers in the region shall observe the standards required by the international
market", Legaste said.
Central Mindanao region covers the provinces of South and North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani and
the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Legaste said they are working to have the strategic plan for mango production completed in the next several
weeks, focusing on the carabao mango variety coming from Guimaras, an island in the Visayas known for its
sweet mango. In South Cotabato, Legaste said the provincial nursery in the town of Banga has successfully
developed grafted saplings of carabao mango from Guimaras, noting they are distributing the seedlings through a
"plant now, pay later" scheme to poor farmers.

At a subsidized price of P15 per seedling, he stressed they are targeting 10,000 hectares of mango plantations to
exist in South Cotabato in the next three years.
But before beneficiaries could get the seedlings, farmers interested in planting the crop are required to attend
trainings, Legaste added. Sarangani province is presently considered the "mango capital" of the region.

Producers are selling the product through the brand name "Sarangani Golden Mango," so it will be identified with
the province. Nenita Barroso, Department of Trade and Industry-Sarangani director, said the Sarangani Federation
of Fruit Industry Association, Incorporated has been coordinating with mango growers in the province. They are
aiming for the programming of harvest to have a year-round supply to local and international markets.

The branding of the Sarangani Golden Mango "is a marketing tool and guarantees that the product is of good
quality because there must be a standard to be established if you are going to use the trademark", Barroso said.
Mangoes in Sarangani were named Sarangani Golden Mango so it will be clearly identified with the province. In
July last year, Sarangani successfully shipped 1,000 kilos of mangoes to Bahrain, prompting the provincial
government to adopt the crop under the "One-Town, One-Product" program pushed by the Trade department.

Provincial Trade department data show that around 8,000 hectares in Sarangani have been planted to mango. The
largest plantation of 5,000 hectares of fruit-bearing trees is found in the municipality of Malungon. Sarangani
produces an annual average of 16,000 metric tons and that local growers were already equipped to engage in the
export industry.

"The farmers already adapted new farming technologies because they have realized that the quality should be in
high standard in as far as the requirement of the export market is concerned," Barroso said, noting the provincial
government and the Trade office have also been training farmers how to package their mangoes for the domestic
market. Last year, Central Mindanao region received a P1.5 million grant from the Chinese government for the
construction of an extended hot water treatment facility for mango fruits. Reynaldo Lumaque, Central Mindanao
Agriculture department coordinator for high-value crops, said China extended the assistance because it wants to
buy mangoes from the region.

Central Mindanao has almost 20,000 hectares of mango plantations, including those newly planted in the last two
to three years, Lumaque said.

Source: sunstar.com.ph

Publication date: 1/21/2008

http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=14791
The Philippines is known for its excellent fruit products. The carabao
mango, better known as Manila Super Mango, makes the country
competitive in the world market. The major importers of mango are
Japan, Singapore, and Hongkong.
The Manila Super Mango is one of the world's best varieties. Other
popular varieties are Pico and Katchamita.

Our mango industry supports some 2.5 million farmers and farm
family members.

Tagged as "sure export winner", there is a projected export increase at

13% annually. It is exported in its fresh or processed form. Mango is
known for its versatility as all stages of fruit development is suitable
for processing. The unripe or immature fruits can be processed into
hot or sweet pickles while the ripe ones can be prepared as slices in
syrup or in brine, mango juice, concentrate and puree, jam, chutneys,
pulp fruit bar, mango wafer, mango powder, dehydrated mango slices,
mango milk powder, and vermicelli.

Leading areas producing mangoes are Western Visayas (Region VI),

Central Luzon and Ilocos Region.

VARIETIES
http://www.da.gov.ph/tips/mango.html