Philippines province create task force to fight pest
Mango grower Ricardo “Carding” Tolentino said that after learning about mangoes in another part of Luzon which were found to be infested he suggested to Governor Imee Marcos the immediate creation of the task force.
“In my recent trip to Manila transporting mangoes, I noticed that mango shipment from a certain Northern Luzon province was showing signs of damage from cecid flies or kurikong,” said Tolentino, who was known as the province’s “Mango King” and twice-recognized by the Department of Agriculture as “Agri-Pinoy Entrepreneur of the Year.
“I am alarmed; thus, I called and I suggested to Governor Marcos some measures to control the possible spread of the cecid flies in our public market,” he explained, adding that he himself had been able to contact the sellers and instructed them not to bring any infested mangoes to the province.
There have been reports, however, that mangoes grown and sold in Batac City, Currimao, Nueva Era, Banna, and Dingras started showing signs of ‘kurikong’ damage, hence the creation of the task force was expedited.
source: news.mb.com.ph
