Safe practices urged to widen mart for Philippine mangoes

DIGOS, Davao del Sur – The 2nd Davsur Mango Congress issued a common call for farmers, input providers and other industry stakeholders to coordinate efforts that will accelerate industry development and enable the industry to adhere to strict food safety standards that will lead to acceptance of Philippine mangoes by international markets.

"We need to unite if we want RP to become the leading exporter and supplier of mangoes and other food products; cooperation among industry players is the key for meeting the demands of the global market," stressed Davao del Sur Mango Industry (DavSur) Council vice chairman Andres Montejo.

He urged growers to follow proper handling and application of pesticides and fertilizers. Fears of agrochemical misuse had earlier been raised after Japan detected in RP mangoes chlorpyrifos residue level greater than .05 parts per million (ppm). Chlorpyrifos is an active ingredient used in insecticides to prevent leafhopper infestation in mango trees.

The maximum residue limit (MRL) for chemicals on fresh fruit imports set by Japan and the European Union are 5 ppm for ethiofencarb, 0.5ppm for cyalothrin, 2 ppm for cypermethrin, 5 ppm for permethrin and 8 ppm for malathion.

Benjamin Roy, executive director of the Mindanao Fruit Industry Development (Minfruit) Council, also encouraged farmers to strictly implement good agricultural practices to ensure that Mindanao fruits pass the stringent food safety standard requried by major foreign markets.

The Minfruit council, a business support organization supported by USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao 2 (GEM2) program, is holding a series of techno-transfer training sessions to promote best farming methods in mango production.

Estrella Laquinta, officer in charge of the region’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) joined the call for environment-friendly production practices. She reminded farmers to strictly follow directions on agrochemical use and handling. She strongly discouraged growers from "cocktailing", a term used when two or more pesticides are mixed to control various pest infestations.

"Judicious use of pesticides is beneficial, but when applied improperly the effect can pose significant health risks to consumers and farmers," Dahlia Cervantes, Davao pesticide analytical laboratory chief warned. Cervantes sought the help of provincial, city and municipal agriculturists to monitor agrochemical usage among growers.

Commercial attaché Nicanor Bautista of the Foreign Trade Services said proper agrochemical usage plays a vital role in expanding the Philippines’ international market niche. The global concern for quality and safety of food products is intensifying according to Bautista. Citing strict phytosanitary requirements on fresh mangoes imposed by countries like the US and Australia, Bautista proposed that farmers, exporters and processors should increase outshipment of processed fruits, especially mango puree and dried mango, because of the higher price it commands in the markets.

The country is ranked sixth among the world’s major exporters of mangoes. In 2003, RP contributed 3.5 percent of the world’s total mango production, earning a total of $31 million from fresh mango exports and another $13.7 million in dried and other processed mango products. The traditional markets for fresh and processed mangoes are Japan, the United States, and Hong Kong.

To accelerate development in the mango sector, the Davao del Sur Mango Industry Code of 2002 was amended and re-launched at the congress. The ordinance strengthens the provincial government and private sector collaboration to promote safe farming methods in producing globally competitive products and establish effective marketing of fresh and processed mangoes for domestic and international consumers. – GEM Program