Rationale: As a commodity of commercial value in the Philippines, the mango is extensively planted in different regions of the country. In 1999, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics reported that the total area planted to this crop was estimatedat 113,562 hectares, a 21% increase from 1998. The average increase in farm area was registered at 9%. > World demand for mango has also been increasing exhibiting an average growth rate of 8% annually for the period of 1996 to 1998. In 1998, the mango buyers in the world imported around 457,000 metric tons as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Of the total world production, the Philippines ranks 5th, together with Pakistan, accounting for about 4% of the world production.