US to accept fresh PHL mangoes grown outside Guimaras Island – Agri Dept.

The export accreditation of fresh Philippine mangoes to the United States is now being expanded to cover growing areas other than Guimaras Island, the Department of Agriculture said Tuesday.

 

This means the Philippines will likely ship fresh mangoes harvested in other parts of the country to the US, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala told reporters Tuesday.

 

Washington only allows Guimaras mangoes to enter the US market.

 

The sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for Philippine mangos have been approved by the US Department of Agriculture, and now it's just a matter of fulfilling other regulatory requirement, Alcala noted.

 

However, mangoes from Palawan Island are not part of the expanded accreditation for export to the US because of pulp weevil infestation.

 

The major mango production areas in the Philippines are Cebu, Batangas, Iloilo, Ilocos Norte, North Cotabato, Pangasinan, Zambales, and Zamboanga del Norte.

 

The expanded export accreditation of mangoes to the US will encourage investments in the sector, Alcala said.

 

“The domestic supply of mango cannot fully satisfy domestic demand, but it would be beneficial for producers if we have additional market access,” he said. – VS, GMA News