THE country’s mango production for the third quarter of 2015 rose by 8.9 percent to 64,204 metric tons (MT), from 58,978 MT recorded in the same period last year, according to a report published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Based on the PSA report, the improvement in production could be attributed to the increase in the number of trees grown in Zamboanga Peninsula and the Caraga region, the application of organic fertilizer in Eastern Visayas and an increment in the fruits harvested in the Bicol region, Mimaropa and Northern Mindanao. The top mango-producing region during the period was Central Visayas with 17,653 MT or 27.5-percent share of the total output. This was followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 14,764 MT and Northern Mindanao with 11,975 MT. Carabao mango comprised the bulk, or 79 percent, of the total mango production during the July-to-September period.
Despite the increase in production during the period, another report from the PSA showed that mango exports for the month of September declined by 34.1 percent to $1.03 million from $1.57 million in 2014.
Mango exports for the January-to-September period also dropped by 37.6 percent to $12.71 million, from $20.38 million recorded in the same period last year. The Department of Agriculture (DA) did not comment on reason behind the decline. The DA said 33 countries buy fresh mangoes from the Philippines. These include Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore and South Korea.
Local dried mangoes are also being exported to 21 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan and the US.