$10million grant to help Philippine mango exporters Manila Standard May 23, 2005 The Department of Agriculture is coordinating with the Department of Trade and Industry to secure a $ 10 million grant for the procurement of irradiation equipment that would help facilitate the entry of Philippine mangoes to the US. DA officials, over the weekend, said the facility would certainly help boost the chances of the Philippines to penetrate the Mexican-dominated mango market in the US. "We are currently working it (grant) out with the DTI. We hope that once the facility is in place, we will be able to sell export-quality Philippine mangoes to the US," said Agriculture assistant secretary Salvador Salacup. The irradiation machine uses ionizing radiation to eliminate pests and bacteria from food intended for exports to meet the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements of importers. US has allowed the entry of Philippine mangoes from Guimaras island only. All mangoes produced outside Guimaras are denied entry on the premise that the fruits may contain bugs. However, results of a recent investigation showed that Philippine mangoes, particularly those of export quality, are free of the dreaded mango pulp weevil and mango seed weevil pests, an argument the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) used to deny the country access to its fresh fruit market. Despite such findings, the US wants the Philippines to use irradiation treatment equipment that would assure that all mango shipments are pest-free. Philippine mango exporters are currently using the vapor heat treatment facility, a cheaper method of sanitizing fruits. The pest was first discovered in Palawan in the 1980s, prompting the government to secure the areas and place it under quarantine. This discovery resulted in the banning of Philippine mangoes to the US and Australia, except those coming from Guimaras. All mangoes coming from all parts of the country, except Palawan, are allowed in Japan, Korea, New Zealand, China, EU, Canada and the Middle East. Mango pulp weevil, also known as mango flesh weevil, infests the pulp of the fruit and causes it to drop. It is a pest specific to mangoes. Last year, the industry exported $ 31.084 million worth of mangoes. The figure was slightly higher from the P31.013 million exported in 2003. Othel V. Campos