ILOILO CITY -- The island province of Guimaras is eyeing to export its sweet mangoes to Europe.
“We have started to work with the French government ,” said Elena Vilches Quezon, chief of the Guimaras Provincial Economic Development Office.
As Guimaras concluded its Manggahan Festival over the weekend, the provincial government is reviving the initial plan of former agriculture secretary Manny Piñol in 2019 to export Guimaras mango to Europe.
Quezon said that the proposal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary did not materialize due to limitations including the quantity.
To strengthen the chances of entering the European market, local government officials are coordinating with various local mango farmers and producers.
Another factor that can boost the chances of entering the European market is for Guimaras mango to earn a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which certifies the quality and the distinctness of the product coming from a particular place.
In 2017, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) started the process and the Guimaras mango only has the status of a ‘collective mark.’
“It would be easier to penetrate the European market once we have that Geographic Indication,” added Quezon.