RP may lose Japan mango market, Magsaysay warns

Sen. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. warned that the Philippines would lose Japan as a major market for local mango that generates annual revenue of roughly $17 million and supports about two million mango farmers if Japan bans Philippine mangoes due to high level of Chlorpyrifos residue content.

Magsaysay sounded the alarm after receiving reports that Chlorpyrifos is still being used in excessive dosage by farmers on mangoes, particularly in Davao, where the bulk of mango for export is sourced during the off season in Luzon.

"We should not wait for the time when Japan totally bans the entry of our fresh mango and process mango products just because of this chemical residue. I am, therefore, urging the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) to strictly monitor and control excessive use by farmers of the Chlorpyrifos and study the possibility of banning the use of the said chemical on mango, Magsaysay said.

Magsaysay, chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture, reported that Japan is one of our major markets for local mangoes. Last year, the country exported some $40 million (FOB value) of mango products to various countries. He said Japan absorbed 74 percent of the country’s total export of mango juice concentrates and 30 percent of total export of fresh mangoes. Japan also imports mango puree, dried mangoes and mango juice other than concentrate from the Philippines.

Citing a report from Marsman Drysdale Foods Corp., a major exporter of mango products, Magsaysay said, sometime in September 2004, Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), implemented the new maximum residue level (MRL) of the chemical Chlorpurifos for mango to 0.05 ppm from 0.5 ppm. The report said that the Philippines was not aware of this change. As a result, mangoes of several exporters were detected to contain more than the new MRL in October to December. This led to the mandatory inspection and analysis by MHLW of all incoming mangoes at Japan ports. Cargoes were detained for an average of four to five days, resulting in quality deterioration.

The report added that the possibility of Japan banning Philippine mango loomed. In February 2005, Japan’s MHLW sent a team to discuss with the Philippine government and mango exporters measures to remedy the situation.