Guimaras mango research center prepares for GAP accreditation

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ILOILO City – The National Mango Research and Development Center in Jordan, Guimaras is preparing to get an accreditation on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for its premier mango product.
Yondre Yonder, NMRDC chief in Guimaras, said as of now, their GAP accreditation is still pending with the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) because of the transition.
As the center prepares for the inspection of BAFS, Yonder said they already installed signage around and washed specific storage areas to prevent physical, chemical or biological hazards.
“We see to it that we have a compost pit, we practice proper disposal of used bottles of chemicals and ensure workers’ health and welfare,” he said.
Yonder added that the GAP certification will make it easier for mango products to be accepted in the global market.
“Usually, that is one of the requirements of the importing countries. The sources of their products should be GAP certified to assure their consumers that the products are of good quality and safe to consume,” he added.
According to BAFS, the GAP certification audits all aspects of farming, including the quality of crops, history of the farm site and its prior use, type of soil and its compatibility with crops and seed sources, use of pesticides and fertilizers, sources of potable water for irrigation and washing of crops, harvest and post-harvest handling procedures, and health and hygiene of farmer and product handlers, among others.
BAFS and GAP require training facilities, safe storage areas, post-harvest infrastructure, and paper trail for traceability.
Yonder said they are also preparing other small farms and orchards in the province to duplicate the GAP certification. (PNA)

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