Cebu City is moving to develop a comprehensive program for its mango growers.
City Councilor Jun Alcover is calling for sustained government support beyond the harvest season and stronger market opportunities for farmers.
In a privilege speech on Tuesday, September 22, Alcover raised the proposal following a consultative meeting with mango growers and other stakeholders earlier this month.
The September 5 consultation at the CREMDEC Hall in Barangay Taptap highlighted the need for support across the mango production cycle, from farm management and technical assistance to pest and disease control, farm rehabilitation, post-harvest handling and marketing, Alcover said.
He urged the Cebu City Agriculture Department (CAD) to use the concerns and recommendations raised during the consultation as the basis for a proposed Cebu City Mango Growers Program.
Alcover said the city government should first establish a clearer picture of the sector, including the number and locations of mango growers, the condition and productivity of their farms, their production capacity and the specific challenges they face.
Such information, he said, would allow the city to develop interventions responsive to growers’ actual needs, including technical assistance, training, planting materials, agricultural inputs and appropriate farming technologies.
But Alcover said support should not end at production.
He pointed to grading, sorting, packaging, storage and transportation as factors that can affect the quality of mangoes and, in turn, the income farmers receive from their produce.
Mangoes that do not meet fresh-fruit market standards could also be processed into products such as dried mangoes, puree, juice and jams, he said, creating additional income opportunities for farmers while reducing potential waste.
Alcover also called for stronger organization among mango growers. Farmers’ associations, he said, could help members consolidate production, access government programs, share resources and establish stronger links with buyers, processors and institutions.
He said the September 5 consultation should serve as a starting point for concrete government action rather than remain a venue where concerns were simply recorded.
“The September 5 consultation should not simply remain a meeting where concerns were raised and recorded. It should serve as a starting point for concrete and continuing government action,” Alcover said.
The proposed program, he said, should have clear objectives, identified beneficiaries, responsible offices, funding requirements, specific interventions, and measurable results.
In his motion, Alcover asked the Office of Mayor Nestor Archival, through the CAD headed by Agriculturist Department Head Joelito Baclayon, to submit to the City Council a report on the current status of mango growers in Cebu City.
The report would include, insofar as practicable, the number and locations of growers, the condition and productivity of their farms, existing government programs and assistance, and the concerns identified during the September consultation.
He also asked the CAD to formulate and submit a comprehensive Cebu City Mango Growers Program or Plan containing concrete and sustainable measures to support the sector.
Alcover further called on the city government to explore partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, academic institutions, private processors, buyers and other stakeholders.
He said coordinated support could help mango growers improve production, strengthen their organizations, gain access to better markets and develop opportunities for processing and value addition.
“Our mango farmers have already invested years of patience, labor, and resources in cultivating their farms,” Alcover said.
He said sustained government support could help protect those investments while giving mango growers better opportunities to improve their livelihoods.
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