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ECONOMIC
EFFECTS OF PRUNING AND BAGGING TECHNOLOGIES IN MANGO PRODUCTION
IN SELECTED MAJOR PRODUCING AREAS
IN THE PHILIPPINES
Maria Excelsis M. Orden
Central
Luzon State University, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
ABSTRACT
The
effects of pruning and bagging technologies on 332 mango growers
in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were analyzed in terms of improvement
in fruit quality, reduction in the use of chemicals, change in pest
management cost, productivity, and net income over pest management
cost. Control of pests and diseases during production was mainly
chemical control using active ingredients of varying toxicity. Pruning
reduced the volume and cost of chemicals, and decreased the cost
of pest management as indicated by the estimated cost function.
Pruning is a yield increasing technology based on Cobb-Douglas production
function. Net revenue above pest management cost was higher for
adopters than for non-adopters of pruning. While bagging reduced
the volume and cost of chemicals, it did not reduce the cost of
pest management because bagging is relatively costly. Nonetheless,
bagging resulted in higher yield and a higher proportion of yield
sold to exporters. Net revenue above pest management cost for adopters
in Luzon was higher than for non-adopters by about $10 per tree.
The difference was not significant, but represents a big opportunity
for growers with limited capital. The technology has important backward
linkages in terms of rural labor and recycling of papers as bagging
materials but can reduce the use of chemicals. The technologies
have long-term effect on the environment and the "mango-eating"
public via reduction in the use of chemicals. The continued adoption
of the technologies could minimize environmental pollution and accumulation
of the ill-effects of chemicals on the health of workers, households
members and consumers.
Keywords:
mango, pruning, bagging, cost function,
production function, backward linkages
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