Ilocos Norte farmers help contain ‘Kurikong’ attacking mangoes

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

With proper training on control and management of pests and diseases, mango growers here are presently undergoing training on the latest innovation on controlling cecid fly, locally known as “kurikong”, infesting several mango farms in Ilocos Norte’s southern municipalities.

Following a two-day cross-farm visitation to mango farms in Ilocos Norte three weeks ago, provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay said mango farmers here were taught how to apply fruit bagging method as an effective way to contain the infestation.

Earlier this year, mango growers in nearby Pangasinan province complained that up to 40 percent of the province’s 460-hectare mango plantations in 21 towns were attacked by the flies.

The same infestation may have crossed into the southern towns of Ilocos Norte, such as Badoc, Pinili and Currimao, and Batac City which mango stakeholders here are now trying to contain.

With the cecid fly infestation in some areas of Ilocos Norte, the provincial agriculture office reported that mango production may fall short of the province’s expected yield this year. 

Currently pegged at P50-P60 per kilo, mango growers here have yet to recover from previous production losses mainly due to erratic weather conditions caused by climate change.

Cecid fly is one of the top emerging pest problems in mango production. It affects developing fruits, which results in premature fruit drop early in the season and low quality of fruits at harvest because it leaves circular black marks on the skin of mangoes, making them unattractive and unmarketable.

In 2012, the provincial government allotted P5 million for the research and development project for mango-bearing trees in Ilocos Norte and an additional P3.7 million from the Department of Agriculture, of which P1 million was allotted for further research and development conducted by the Mariano Marcos State University in cooperation with researchers from the Ilocos Agriculture Resources Research and Development Consortium.

On the same year, at least 25,000 fruit-bearing mango trees were immediately rehabilitated through thinning and pruning procedures prior to the application of both organic and inorganic fertilizers funded by the Ilocos Norte government under the administration of Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos and the DA.