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Sunday, September 18, 2005
DFA help sought for mango market
By Adrian Sedillo
VICE Governor Jose Petit Baldado proposed seeking the help of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to find and negotiate market outlets for the country's mango industry and other products.
Baldado said his proposal coincides with the provincial government's aim to strengthen Negros Oriental's mango industry because of the high demand for the fruit in other countries.
Baldado said DFA's foreign attachés can help request market requisites particularly on the quality standard set by countries where they are assigned.
He lamented that Philippines lacked access to the international market for lack of interest among the country's foreign attachés
At present, the vice governor observed that middlemen have cornered the mango business because mango growers have no direct access to the international market.
Baldado said the growers should be aware that they would be earning more if they opened direct world market links.
Earlier, Governor George Arnaiz appointed the vice governor to lead the program to develop the province's mango industry.
The main purposes of the program are to access foreign markets and to study production methods that would ensure disease-free mangoes for export abroad.
Baldado said, as part of the program's drive, he would tap the cooperation of private and public agencies to market the fruit.
He said the governor pushed the program after observing a high demand for mango abroad particularly in Europe.
The vice governor said the mango industry in Negros Oriental is suffering from marketing problems and lacked the quality standard needed by the international market.
Along this line, he said, he would study the success of Guimaras island on how it developed its industry making it the country's top exporter of quality mango.
Baldado said Herbert Fick, a German national has volunteered to help the province.
According to him, Fick had offered inputs including statistics that showed the Philippines had exported only six tons of mango last year.
Moreover, he said, the governor has invited experts from DOLE Philippines, one of the country's leading mango, to learn their production and marketing systems.
DOLE buys its mango from Zambales.
The vice governor lamented that the country does not have a program that focuses on the industry despite its foreign exchange potentials.
(September 18, 2005 issue)
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