Philippines: Grant sought to develop mango industry
Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said in a meeting with stakeholders that his Capitol staff are now formulating a Prime Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP), which is a prerequisite for grant applicants under the DA’s Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP). He also reminded government planners and local mango stakeholders to review all angles of the industry before mapping out strategies, pointing out that the returns of investment should surpass the cost, most especially the social cost.
Letty Viernes, manager of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, said that, prior to the PCIP preparation, concerned departments at the Capitol have already formulated a value-chain analysis for mango, which is a prime product of the province of Zambales.
She added that, in another workshop held last month, mango stakeholders identified several constraints that hamper the development of the local mango industry. These included lack of nursery for the propagation of indigenous mango varieties; high cost of production inputs; poor marketing; and revenue losses from unsold harvests.
The group then concluded that the provincial government and its private- sector partners would need to implement measures to boost local mango production and ensure its development as a prime product.
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