Uses / Products

	The Philippine mango (‘carabao’ variety) is considered the best in the world
	25% of Philippines' total supply is processed into products such as:

• puree    juice/concentrate        chutney        jam        nectar        cubes/halves
• frozen        pickled        drained        glazed        crystallized        dried or dehydrated mango

Philippine Statistics

• • Average production (1998 - 2002) 899, 454 MT
  • Average area planted (1998 - 2002) 132,141 ha
  • Average No. of bearing trees/hill (1998 - 2002) 6,152,181 bearing hills

	3rd among fresh fruit exports; local variety is the best among mangoes traded in the world
	6% of total production is exported
	90% of exports are fresh; 10% are exported in processed form

EXPORTS, 2003

	Philippine export of mangoes in 1998 valued at $51.4 million were mainly in fresh form
	US is the biggest importer of mangoes in the world
	The largest suppliers of mango to Europe are Brazil and South Africa
	Philippines is still the biggest exporter of mangoes to Japan and Hong Kong which are the biggest importers of mangoes in Asia
	In terms of value, Japan contributed 57% (US $9.9 m) to the country’s export receipts for fresh mangoes due to the higher prices offered compared to other Asian markets

Postharvest Practices / Technology Available

• • Manual harvesting and handling with use of simple implements (bamboo poles with hook and net- "sicpaw" or "sacador", ladder, basket - "kaing" and rope)

     
  • Mango is harvested 120 days after flower induction.  Peak of harvest season:  January and May
  •  
  • Drip-drying of fruit sap by arranging freshly harvest fruits, pedicle down, along bamboo slats
  • Treatment of fruits with Benlate solution, air-drying and packing in baskets or crates lined with banana leaves or crumpled paper.
  • Hot water treatment or Vapor Heat Treatment (advocated but not widely adopted by farmers)
  • Ethylene adsorbents to delay ripening
  • Bagging of fruits while in the tree to prevent insect pests from damaging the fruits
  • Use of returnable plastic crates
  • Refrigerated van used by big companies in transporting the fruits
  • Controlled atmosphere technologies to preserve quality or prolong shelf-life

Other Relevant Information Available

	The “High Value Crops Support Systems and Development Act of 1993” includes mango as one of the priority crops of this Act
	The Philippine Mango Development Board (House Bill 933) implements programs that improve mango production and trading
	The National Mango Research and Development Center in Guimaras was established in 1993 as the center for research and development of the mango industry

Issues and Concerns

• • Inadequate information dissemination on production and postproduction technologies

a need for technical information dissemination programs of both public and private institutions

producers (particularly backyard raisers) have limited knowledge of basic cultural practices such as: fertilization, integrated pest and disease control, weeding and sanitation, pruning and irrigation, flower induction, fruit setting and bagging (particularly growers in Luzon)

proper postproduction practices need to be disseminated to growers and traders focusing on the prevention of postharvest diseases such as adoption of hot water treatment, extension of shelf-life and adoption of improved packaging materials.  Lack of technical information on handling result to the following:

• • Fruit damage in all stages of handling
  • Latex burns
  • Fruit fly infestation
  • Mango Pulp Weevil infestation
  • Antracnose / stem-end rot infection
  • Low price of produce/ High rate of Spoilage
  • Lack of technology to detect internal fruit damage

the need for intensified information campaigns on the formation of viable and responsible cooperatives and associations which will grant financial support and disseminate technical and marketing information

• • Limited Access to reliable marketing information

    Commercial/corporate farms, exporters and processors need more reliable marketing information particularly on mango production in major producing regions and provinces in the country; and demand situation in local and foreign markets

	High grading standards set by traders; considerable volumes fall under ‘rejects’ class
	Lack of price information

• • Inadequate and inefficient infrastructure, transportation and communications systems

Roads become impassable during the onset of the rainy season, usually coinciding with the harvesting months which affect efficient and smooth transport of fruits

In Barangay Sibul, San Miguel (Bulacan), Jordan (Guimaras) and Barangay Budlaan (Cebu City) growers from remote barangays have to cross creeks and trek steep hills and rugged terrain to bring goods to trading areas

• • Lack of storage facilities to delay ripening/preserve quality

The Visayas and Mindanao-based traders (assembler-wholesalers and wholesalers) such as those in Cebu, Davao City and Davao del Sur who supply mango exporters and processors incur high maintenance costs for transport vehicles and transport damage on fruits due to bruising and compression

Low priority for mango given by air freight carriers giving preference to export products such as computer chips, electronic devices and other perishables like tuna and banana.  This causes delays in deliveries, resulting in unsaleable fruits due to their short shelf-life.  Delayed deliveries decrease the credibility of of Philippine mangoes in international market destinations

Limited seller-buyer contracts and inability to obtain timely information regarding prices and supply-demand situations. This condition is very much evident in the mango producing provinces of Pangasinan, Zambales, Guimaras, and Davao del Sur

• • Supply of inconsistent and unproductive strains of mango seedlings
  • Distribution of fake/adulterated pesticides and fungicides

Several commercial and corporate farms visited in Pangasinan, Batangas and Guimaras complained of nursery operators selling unproductive and inconsistent strains of mango seedlings, resulting in investment losses. 

There were several instances wherein ‘carabao’ seedlings purchased from nurseries in Luzon areas turned out to be mixed with ‘pico’ and ‘katchanita’ varieties.  Growers learned of the quality of their seedlings only after these had reached fruiting stage.

Backyard growers in San Carlos and Calasiao, Pangasinan and Batangas City, Batangas have reported purchases of fake and adulterated insecticides and fungicides resulting in continued heavy insect and disease infestation 

• • Increasing cost of processing mango products.

Anticipated increase in labor wages, high procurement cost of mangoes in the third and fourth quarters of the year. The proposed bill banning the importation of sugar and expensive machineries needed in processing mango products are the four major cost-related issues which processors feel would affect the competitiveness of Philippine processed mangoes in the international market

• • Waste disposal of mango seeds and peel

Cebu-based processors face difficulties in disposing mango waste products (seed and peel) due to the volume of fruits processed and the strict zoning and waste disposal laws in the province. This is a major problem considering that seeds and peel account for nearly half of the whole fruit.

This page was last updated on: Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Please check these pages often for updates.  Brought to you by the

Planning and Evaluation Department

 Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension

CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz 3120 Nueva Ecija, Philippines