Agriculture department steps up campaign vs mango pulp weevil in Palawan

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=769899
• Monday, June 8, 2015

By Jocelyn Y. Tabuada

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, June 8 (PNA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Palawan is stepping up anew its campaign against the spread of the mango pulp weevil.

Librada Fuertes, head of the Research and Development of DA-Palawan Agricultural Experiment Station (DA-APES) said the mangoes from the northern areas of Palawan are still safe from the infestation.

“24/7 ang ginagawang monitoring ng mga tao natin, pinapara nila ang lahat ng mga sasakyang dumadaan upang matingnan kung may dalang mga mangga ito (Our people are awake 24/7 to monitor vehicles if they’re bringing mangoes),” Fuertes said.

“It is only the mangoes from Puerto Princesa City and southern Palawan that are still positive with the mango pulp weevil, “Fuertes added.

She said that they are monitoring the different terminals and the street vendors to prevent the spread of the infestation.

“We require them to secure permits from the City Hall to ensure that the mangoes they are selling are safe for human consumption, “she added.

Fuertes also gave tips to mango tree growers on how to guard against mango pulp weevil.

”First is center pruning, where you have to trim the center of the mango tree, from the leaves to the branches so that sunlight can get in. Pulp weevils are active during nighttime. They die when they are hit by sunlight for 10 minutes to 15 minutes, “she said.

There should be sanitation, she stated, where the infested mango fruits should be buried or burned to prevent spreading, and that chemicals should also be applied to stop the pests.

Despite the pest problem, Fuertes encouraged mango growers to continue. “The DA and local agricultural offices are doing their best to solve the problem. This cannot be done overnight, “she said.

Accordingly, “research still has to find a long-term remedy to the problem of mango pulp weevil (Sternochetus frigidus) infestation in the province of Palawan in the Philippines where the world-renowned underground river is found. Pest control approaches by farmers have so far been unable to eradicate the pest at source which finds the edible fleshy part of the mango as its favorite breeding place. Hence, the name mango pulp weevil or MPW.” (PNA) FPV/CARF/JYT/EBP