The woes on the post-harvest losses of Guimaras mango farmers are now seen to be addressed and will rather result to the improvement of the quality of their produce as the official turnover and inauguration ceremony of the packing house facility of Guimaras Mango Production, Consolidation, and Marketing Enterprise was held by the Department of Agriculture- Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office 6 (RPCO 6) with the Provincial Government of Guimaras on September 8, 2022.

The facility is located in Sitio Talangban, Barangay Millan, Sibunag, Guimaras which will serve as the hub of the mango produce that are bound for consolidation and marketing. This will be managed by Guimaras Mango Growers and Producers Development Cooperative as its lead proponent, along with the Jordan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Guimarasnon Processors and Producers Association as cluster members.

As this particular enterprise aimed at establishing a mango consolidation area with a Hot Water Treatment facility that standardizes mango quality emphasizing on value-adding activities, it also views to build up the competitiveness of the Guimaras mango brand.

With a total project cost amounting to PhP 18,128,148.00, the project covers the establishment of the packing house, provision of production inputs and support, and other amenities relevant to the implementation of the mango enterprise subproject.

Provincial Agriculturist Alvin Nava said that majority of the mangoes harvested in the province will go through the said packing house and this will likewise serve as trading area for Guimaras mangoes.

Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 6 Regional Executive Director Engr. Remelyn Recoter hopes that the facility will strengthen the quality of Guimaras mangoes that are exported internationally, deeming it as a prime commodity of the island-province and serving as one of its major economic drivers.

“We are hoping that this project will strengthen the quality of Guimaras mangoes. As the cooperative envisions to deliver the sweetest mangoes that the province could offer, we hope that the group will take good care of the facility, serve more members, and nurture the trading capital that were granted to them,” said Recoter.

As for Governor JC Rahman A. Nava, he said having the Mango Packing House is a realization of one of his dreams that Guimarasnons will have a home service facility.

“It has been a long-time dream to provide a home service facility among the Guimarasnon especially to our residents, small entrepreneurs, and farmers who need it most. Thus, this packing house serves as a model of a home service facility that we want as well to similarly frame with the assets of our other sector,” he explained.

He also challenged the local mango growers to sustain the project that will set one standard for the processing of Guimaras mango both for export and for local consumption. As such, this will reinforce the thrust of the Provincial Government of Guimaras to position agriculture as the anchor of the province’s economy.

The event was also graced by Engr. Moises D. Mana-ay, RPCO 6 Deputy Project Director; Alejandro D. Araneta, Chairperson, Committee on Agriculture of the 10th Sangguniang Panlalawigan; Cyril Beltran, Vice Mayor, Municipality of Buenavista; Provincial Administrator Emmanuel Galila, and officers and some member-beneficiaries of the subproject. (April Grace Padilla, With reports from Provincial Government of Guimaras | Photos by DA-RAFIS6)