THE Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg) on Wednesday launched a training on post-harvest handling technology for harvested mangoes at the OPAg compound office in Bolbok, Batangas City.
According to senior agriculturist Melinda T. Mendoza , the activity aims to share additional knowledge on proper and innovative methods, not only in harvesting but also in the ripening and handling of mangoes.
Aside from the lectures on harvesting and packaging, Leonisa Artes, who is from the Postharvest Horticulture Training Center of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna, also demonstrated the method of ripening mangoes using hot water treatment to reduce decay caused by the pest anthracnose and other fungal diseases and insects, remove dirt and resin, and ripen the harvested mangoes at the same time.
Dr. Rodrigo Bautista, provincial agriculturist, said such training is just one of the series of trainings and seminars that the provincial government will deliver for the farmers of Batangas, in accordance with the desire of Batangas Gov. DoDo Mandanas to further raise the level of agriculture in the province.
Among those who was attended the training were representatives of the Batangas Mango Growers Federation from various towns in the province.
