9 new varieties that will strengthen the Philippine mango industry

Nine mango varieties and selections were unveiled at a press conference of the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) on June 8, 2022. The mangoes were identified by the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) in the University of Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) through a program funded by PCAARRD and led by plant breeding scientist Carolyn Alcasid. The mango is the third most-produced fruit crop in the Philippines, with a production of 739,250 MT in 2020. The Philippines exports fresh mango fruits to China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea while processed mango products are exported to Canada, France, and Germany. Despite being one of the backbone industries of the country’s agriculture sector, the local mango industry is hampered by the fact that only the Carabao mango variety is exported. This is further complicated by the short shelf life of fresh fruits, inconsistency in quality, ...