Mango growing schools set up for Cebu farmers

CEBU, Philippines - At least five farmer field schools were established by the Department of Agriculture-7 to train and educate mango growers on the proper agricultural practice to boost mango production.

DA Regional Coordinator Crop Protection chief Wilberto Castillo said the farmer field schools are in the cities of Toledo, Danao and Mandaue and in the barangays of Paril and Subangdaku in Compostela town.

“The farmer field school is an extension tool of the DA-7 where lectures to farmers are given such as on integrated pest management and appropriate agricultural practices on mango growing,” Castillo said.

According to Castillo, the mango growers undergo practicum in the field schools where they do hands-on training on cleaning, fertilizing, and flowering until the harvest stage.

“It is a season-long training to really assist mango farmers yield productive harvest. The farmer field schools have regular classes once a week that covers four months or 16 to 18 weeks,” Castillo said, adding that the facilitators of the field schools are from the DA-7 with counterparts from the local government units particularly their Municipal or City Agricultural Officers.

The schools are located in the backyards or plantations of mango growers.

Castillo said there is a huge demand for export of fresh and dried mangoes as Cebu is currently exporting fresh mangoes to Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.

For dried mangoes, there are a number of Cebu companies such as Profoods and 7Ds that are largely exporting processed mangoes mostly in the US and Canada markets, revealed Castillo.  (FREEMAN)