Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar met the members of the United Luzon Mango Stakeholders Association (ULMSA) on January 6, 2020 and discussed current challenges faced by mango growers including the infestation of cecid flies, low production, marketing, and high production cost of mangoes.

“We really have to modernize and use the best technologies available for our mango industry,” Dar said.

During the meeting, the Secretary instructed the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) to provide an inventory of all processing facilities for mango, as well as update reports on mango production project and researches on cecid flies done by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

Dar likewise encouraged the program directorate to broaden strategies and provide mango growers necessary interventions and support.

The meeting was conducted in preparation for the Luzon Mango Congress slated on February 2020. ### (Photo by Alan Jay Jacalan, DA-AFID)