North of Mindanao, the crop is subject to severe risks from typhoons and torrential rains. With the assistance of the Agribusiness Systems Assistance Program, small farmers in Mindanao learned how to induce flowering in their mango trees to time their production. They also learned to bag the fruit to protect it from rain and insects while it is still on the tree, and once harvested, how to dip the fruit in hot water to reduce development of postharvest fungus. Comparing these returns with those derived from growing corn or rice, farmers rapidly are switching. For the rest of the Philippines, other opportunities are promising, particularly in supplying the country's burgeoning processing industries.
Peanuts are a good example.
Domestic farmers who can increase production stand to benefit enormously. The same situation holds true for potato chips. At the moment, potato chip manufacturers in the Philippines do not advertise because they cannot begin to meet current demand. Some processors, among them Emmanuel Belen of Cropking, have begun to import potato seed of processing varieties such as Atlantic and Kennebec so that Philippine farmers and processors alike can serve this booming market. Another great opportunity lies in the production of dry-season horticultural crops such as honeydew melons, cantaloupe, and watermelons.