The Decline of the Philippine Mango Export Industry:

Part 2: Too Many Chemicals, Too Many Problems

Farming Shortcuts Are Catching Up to Us

Farmers have always looked for ways to make their trees produce more fruit. In the old days, they relied on natural methods—proper pruning, timing the flowering season, and letting nature do its thing. But as demand grew, so did the shortcuts.

Commercial fertilizers? Quick and easy. Pesticides? Spray away!

At first, it worked. Yields shot up, pests were kept at bay, and farmers were happy. But over time, the soil got weaker. The trees became dependent on chemicals. And worse, some pesticides left residues on the fruit—more than what other countries allow.

Japan and South Korea Started Rejecting Our Carabao Mangoes

Japan used to be one of our biggest mango buyers. But then, their food safety inspectors started finding high pesticide residues. Shipments were rejected (Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2024). South Korea followed suit. Even Europe raised its standards, making it harder for our mangoes to pass their tests (European Commission, 2024).

Now, imagine being an exporter. You spend millions getting mangoes ready for shipment, only to have them turned away at the port. That’s a huge loss, and eventually, it’s just not worth the risk.

The Land Is Suffering, Too

It’s not just about failing export tests. Overuse of fertilizers and pesticides strips the soil of nutrients, making it harder to grow mangoes naturally (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2024). The worst part? Pests are becoming resistant to pesticides, so farmers have to use even stronger chemicals, creating a vicious cycle.

This isn’t sustainable. If we keep going down this path, our mango trees won’t just be producing less—they might stop producing at all.

So why aren’t we fixing this? That brings us to the biggest problem of all.