As Zambales prepares for the annual Dinamulag Mango Festival, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. emphasized that the provincial government is focused on enhancing mango production to sustain the industry’s growth.
On Monday, Ebdane announced that the second phase of the provincial government’s Zambales Mango Green Valley Project is underway. This phase, which spans from 2025 to 2028 and is allocated P40 million, focuses on rehabilitating 20,800 mango trees through improved farm management, fertilization, and irrigation techniques. The goal is to increase production yields and encourage the adoption of modern farming practices.
The Green Valley Project, launched last year with a total budget of P50 million, aims to raise the yield per hectare to the national average of 12 tons, a significant increase from the current 2.3 tons in Zambales. Ebdane highlighted the challenge of scaling production without sacrificing quality, stressing that this will be key to making local mangoes more competitive in the market.
Phase 1 of the project established modern demo farms to showcase new mango production technologies. Phase 2 is now focused on rehabilitating existing trees with technical support from President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) and the Samahan ng Magmamangga ng Zambales (SMZ).
Ebdane also mentioned the success of the program’s pilot areas, where new technologies have been introduced to local farmers. A P6.4 million fund was released to SMZ last December for various farming activities such as flower induction, fertilization, and irrigation.
Next year, the program will launch Phase 3, which will propagate the world-renowned Sweet Elena mango variety and establish a training center and post-harvest processing facility. These initiatives will be part of a broader effort to elevate mango farming education and improve post-harvest handling.
“The Mango Green Valley Project will continue to evolve, with plans for branding, exportation, and greenhouse cultivation,” said Ebdane. “We are committed to refining and expanding the program to strengthen the mango industry in Zambales.”
