ALABEL, Sarangani (September 18, 2007) – Mango growers and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have officially applied for the approval of Sarangani Golden Mango's trademark to tag local mangoes for the export market.
Engr. Nenita Barroso, DTI provincial director, disclosed her office has endorsed the trademark's approval to the Intellectual Property Office (ITO), a Manila-based bureau attached with DTI.
The growers association submitted the trademark registration with ITO early this month, she said.
"Hopefully within the year we can get the (trademark) certificate," Barroso said.
Barroso said branding the Sarangani Golden Mango "is a marketing tool and (guarantees) that the product is of good quality because there must be a standard to be established if you are going to use the trademark."
Mangoes here were named Sarangani Golden Mango because of their taste and size.
"Malalaki 'yung mangga dito at matatamis (Mangoes here are big and sweet)," Barroso said.
Anticipating the ITO approval, growers and the local government introduced the Sarangani Golden Mango brand name during its official launching as provincial One Town, One Product in July.
The success of the sample shipment of 1,000 kilograms of mangoes to Bahrain prior to the launching has egged on growers to pursue aggressive marketing.
This encouraged them to eye markets in the Middle East, Australia and Japan.
Recently, Diamond Star Company, a leading mango exporter to Japan, held business-matching sessions with Sarangani growers to consider potentials of supplying Japan's market.
Company representatives showed same eagerness to the local growers to do business with. Diamond Star president Takayoshi Kitamura noted "a great future for Philippine mangoes" in Japan.
Kitamura said about 70 percent of their mango exports comes from the Philippines.
He described Philippine mangoes as "small but tasty. Not red. Good mangoes."
Kitamura said Philippine mangoes - whether fresh, processed or frozen – were enjoyed in Japan.
DTI reported that around 8,000 hectares in Sarangani were planted to mango. The largest hectarage of almost 5,000 of fully bearing trees are found in the municipality of Malungon.
According to Barroso, Sarangani produces an annual average of 16,000 metric tons.
Barroso said local growers were already equipped to engage in export industry.
"The farmers already adapted new farming technologies so they have realized that the quality should be standard in as far as the requirement of the export market is concerned," Barroso said.
Harvest time in the province is usually from May to June but the Sarangani Federation of Fruit Industry Association, Inc. is coordinating with the farmers to program a year round supply.
"Whoever will be the buyer, we can give them year round supply of mangoes," she added.
The provincial government and the DTI have also been assisting how to package local mangoes for the domestic market.
This is to further "eliminate the layers of marketing so that the price of mango can now be competitive." Barroso stressed. (SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE/BCP)
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