Philippines: Growers urged to bag mangoes

Mango growers in the Philippines are being urged to put bags around their maturing mango fruits to prevent cecid fruit fly damage.

Dalisay Moya, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculture Office, said that considering that control measures against cecid fly are still unavailable at present, bagging is the only method that can be used to protect the mangoes from the destructive pest and ensure the export-quality of the fruit.

Unprotected mango fruits that managed to survive from cecid fly are just consigned for the local market as they are rejected in the foreign market, missing their chance to earn more.

Moya said that cecid fly does not only affect Pangasinan, but has also spread into other parts of the Philippines and is quickly becoming a menace to the entire mango industry.

San Carlos City remains as the biggest producer of mangoes in Pangasinan but there are now also big mango plantations in Sta. Barbara, Calasiao, Bayambang, Malasiqui as well as in Villasis, Infanta, Dasol, Anda, Bolinao, Bani, San Nicolas, and others.

Source: interaksyon.com