San Carlos mangoes hit by ‘korikong’
CRISIS has hit the mango industry in San Carlos City.
The city’s production has dropped considerably after 30% of the 743 total number of hectares of mango plantation in the city suffered infestation known locally as korikong or bulotong.
Estrelita Jacaban, city agriculturist said, korikong infestation was caused by the sisid fly that attacked the mango fruit.
Because of this, the farm gate price per kaing has reached up to P1,600-P1,800 much higher than the P1,200 farm gate price last year, Jacaban said.
The City Agriculture Office advised mango growers to adopt new agricultural technology like bagging of the young fruit backed by proper nutrient management and pruning of twigs that might serve as breeding ground for the sisid fly.
City Mayor Bogs Resuello said climate change or the sudden change of weather also contributed to the spread of the korikong infestation. He instructed the city agriculture office to assist mango growers by introducing the new technologies that could help the farmers recover from their losses.
Resuello said, he went to Guimaras province to study the successful mango production or for benchmarking and improve production of local growers.
“We don’t want to compare our mango in San Carlos to Guimaras or Zambales, because ours is well known especially in the market in Manila,” the mayor said.
“Pangasinan Mango to our consumers is San Carlos Mango because we are the center of production of mango in the province,” Resuello added.
Resuello also expressed confidence that the mango growers can recover their losses this December and January next year.
The city still holds the 2011 record as the biggest fruit pie in the World Record Academy with the 100 square meters of mango pie, while Peru holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest cherry pie (17 tons). (Nora Dominguez)
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
