Marketing of Guimaras Mangoes to the United States Essay

The meaty flesh of a mango fruit is sweet, but the fruit’s pit is so large and hard. Ripe mangoes are fragrant and soft to the touch, but not mushy. Mangoes can be processed into a number of unique products such as dried mangoes, puree, juice, chutney, halves and scoops, jelly jams, and pickles. A uniform quality and an adequate supply are assured throughout the year through processing. Processed mangoes enable exporters to serve their markets even during off season period for fresh mangoes. Also, exporters can penetrate buying countries with strict phytosanitary requirements by supplying processed mangoes. The distinct taste and nutritional value of Guimaras mango variety puts it above any other mango in the world. Mango is one of the priority crops being supported by the major programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA); Mangoes are included among the high value crops to be given priority under the High Value Crop Law. Distribution is an exceptionally important phase in the marketing of mangoes. The fruit after harvest has to pass through several agencies before reaching the consumers. The Philippines has already established its credibility in supplying high quality mangoes to important markets especially to the United States. The recent organization of the Philippine Mango Development Council provided the impulsion to unite the key players of the industry into a single advocacy group that will work together for the sustainable development of the Philippine Mango Industry. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE One of man’s greatest triumphs in the cultivating of wild plants is the cultivated mango. Centuries of cultivation and selection produced a luscious fruit. Many varieties are grown in different countries. Here in the Philipines, Guimaras is known as the â€Å"Mango Country†, gaining the name because of its sweetest and big-sized mangoes. Based on the data of the National Statistical Coordination Board of the Republic of the Philippines, the year 2002 was a good year for Guimaras’ mangoes. It was in this year that it formally joined the world export market and cooperatively, production soared to its highest for the last three years. 2002 production posted a growth of 446.40 percent or five times higher over the 2001 production. Despite the decrease in the number of fruit-bearing trees, more trees were induced to flower as favored by the weather conditions. The Philippine mango, considered in western countries as an exotic tropical fruit, is fast gaining popularity worldwide. It is the third biggest dollar earning fruit next to banana and pineapple. But competition from other countries has led to stricter international standard controls for mango and the fruits produced in Pangasinan and the other Ilocos provinces have yet to meet quality standards demanded by the United States. The United States may open its market to Philippine mangoes, with that country’s agriculture department funding a survey to find out which mango-producing areas have no incidence of mango seed and pulp weevils. Major importers of Philippine mangoes in the United States are looking forward to less costly mangoes from Manila with the decision by the US government in December to allow other provinces in the Philippines to export the produce. A United States-based Philippine official has revealed the introduction of a technology that would help cut down the shipping cost of Philippine mango exports to that country. Eventually, such technology would also allow mangoes from other areas of the country to enter the US market. Presently, only mangoes from Guimaras Island have been allowed in the US. According to Victoriano Leviste, agriculture attachà © at the Philippine embassy in Washington DC, The key is to create a niche market through our Filipino residents and possibly other Asians. Philippine Super Mango (carabao) has been gaining popularity in the US market as a sweet and more luscious fruit. The Philippine mango, coming from Guimaras Province in the Visayas, was only able to enter the US market in May, last year, after 15 years of negotiations with the US Department of Agriculture. Only Guimaras mangoes are so far accepted in the US. Mangoes from other areas of the country allegedly have fruit flies. Guimaras has been considered a pest-free zone and an ideal source of mango exports to the US. It is encouraging to note that the importance of the mango industry to the Philippine economy is now being recognized by all concerned sectors. The mango industry has provided livelihood opportunities to its growers and to those involved in its marketing channels. Similarly important is its significant contribution to the country’s export earnings being the third ranking fruit export, next to banana and pineapple. The Philippines is one of the top mango producing countries in the world with an estimated 2% share of the world’s 23.4 million tons production in 1997. The other top mango producing countries are India where 51% of total world production of mangoes comes from, China with 9% share. Mexico and Thailand both with 6% share. Exporting is one factor that helps our economy to sustain its stability with different problems it encounters. The need for unity among mango growers here in the Philippines is very important to be able to enhance the competitiveness of our own mangoes both in the local and world market. The recent formation of the Philippine Mango Development Council (Philmango), which was initiated by the DA Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS), is a big step towards the proper orchestration of strategic interventions for the mango industry. CONCLUSION Mangoes from Guimaras indeed goes beyond quality and taste compared with other mangoes exported from different countries. The target of introducing and marketing of mangoes produced from different regions here in the Philippines to the United States should be endorsed. Only mangoes from Guimaras passed the standards in the United States. In order for our mango producers to enter the US market, there should be proper technology to assure consistent quality and supply. The bulk of the country’s mango output are grown in backyard farms which makes it hard to assure uniform and consistent supply of mangoes. There are limited commercial farms, and exports are basically consolidation of produce from backyard orchards and small farms. Also, the lack of commercial technology in the packaging and in preserving the freshness to offset the long stretch from the source to distant foreign markets such as the United States should also be taken into consideration. Lastly, inefficiency and high freight charges from the local shipping industry caused so much burden. It adversely affected the smooth delivery of mangoes to its markets. Mangoes coming from Visayas and Mindanao should be transported to Manila before it is exported to foreign countries; the significant increase of price due to high transport costs makes it difficult to reach its destination. REFERENCES Kotler, P. 1980. Marketing Management. New Jersey: A Simon & Schuster Company Compton’s Encyclopedia http://www.nscb.gov.ph http://www.organicconsumers.org Leovelyn Hope B. Parreà ±oFebruary 26, 2010 BSBM 4/ SOCIO 01Mr. Don Velez COMPARE THE EXPERIENCES YOU HAD IN PRIMARY SOCIAL GROUP TO YOUR EXPERIENCES IN SECONDARY SOCIAL GROUP If there’s someone who can give me good and true pieces of advice, it would be no less than my family. Every day, I came to meet and bump with different people. And these persons gave another dimension in my life. My second family, the organizations I have here in school also welcomed me. But there is indeed a significant difference with the way they care for each members. My family treats me, accepts me and understands me for the person I am. They believed in my capabilities and support me with my ambitions in life. My family gives me inspiration in everything I do. I can count on them especially in times when I experienced the down moments of my life. There was never a time when they left my side. On the other hand, my second family also gives another meaning in my life. Though I am part of the family, there is no assurance that they will always be there for me through thick or thin. They also have their priorities in life. Though they can be there when I a want shoulder to cry on, or help me out with problems in school but it is just temporary. They all come and go. Abstract Mango is one of the commercially and economically essential horticultural fruit crops in the Philippines. It is the third most important fruit crop, next to banana and pineapple in terms of dollars earned. It is considered as a national fruit in this country. Mangoes specifically coming from Guimaras can be eaten ripe or unripe. It is very popular around the world because of its exotic taste. The paper aims to exemplify the export of these mangoes which placed the country’s competitiveness in the world market and how it captured the United States.