MMSU holds mango processing training to boost Batac farmers’ livelihoods

BATAC CITY, ILOCOS NORTE — The Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is equipping mango growers in Batac with skills to turn their harvests into profitable products, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the local fruit industry.

On 24 and 25 April, members of the Mango Stakeholders’ Association (MSA), Inc. attended a two-day training session on mango processing at the MMSU Food Innovation Center. Led by the university’s Department of Food Science and Technology, the training featured lectures and hands-on demonstrations focused on preserving mangoes and developing value-added products.

CAFSD officer-in-charge Dean Charlie Batin said the initiative aims to reduce post-harvest losses and create livelihood opportunities for growers. MMSU Extension Director Dr. Marilou Lucas also noted the training’s role in teaching production, marketing, and sustainability strategies to farmers.

MMSU President Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. said the project aligns with the university’s broader goal of becoming a "techno-preneurial university" that helps drive local development.

Ilocos Norte is the second-largest mango producer in Region I. MMSU continues to support the sector through research and development activities at its Fruit Crop Nursery, Lubbot Experimental Farm, and other facilities. A memorandum of agreement signed in 2024 between MMSU and the city government of Batac also aims to position mango as one of the city’s primary economic products.