Bad weather conditions here are negatively impacting the production of mangoes and causing a lot of anxiety as the summer season draws near, specially because the fruit is considered a signature product of the province.
Zambales Provincial Agriculture head Russel Quitaneg said that research data showed a significant drop in mango production not only in Zambales but the entire Central Luzon.
According to Quitaneg, the primary cause was the changing weather patterns brought about by global warming, where a historical shift in climate has been felt around these parts.
“Sometimes there is not enough rain, sometimes there is too much. And they no longer happen when you expect them to” he said.
Quitaneg cited their experience on October to December 2019 when rain suddenly started pouring just as the mango trees were flourishing.
Another culprit he blamed were pests. He said the pests afflicting mango trees have developed immunity and were no longer affected by usual methods.
Quitaneg blamed some contractors for carrying out unguided experiments in hopes of boosting production yields. Instead, pests developed immunity.
The Provincial Agriculture department of the President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PREMSU) said it would conduct a study on the rehabilitation, productivity enhancement, and proper agricultural practices of mango farmers. Eventually, PREMSU planned to teach the right techniques to the mango farmers in Zambales
Every April, Zambales celebrates a mango festival, where local farmers showcase what they say are the sweetest mangoes that can be found in the country.
Source: Randy V. Datu, Rappler