ILOILO CITY, Feb. 12 -- Guimaras expects an increase in the production of mangoes, its main products, due to the prolonged dry months.

Provincial Office for Agricultural Services (POAS) head Alvin Nava said mango production could reach 21,000 metric tons (MT), higher than last year's 17,000 MT.

"Originally, mangoes were summer crops. So the prolonged hot weather is favorable," he said in an interview Monday.

He said they have already induced mango production as early as the first two weeks of January in preparation for this year's Manggahan Festival.

Two years ago, around one-third of the 6,000 hectares of mango plantation in the province were in production.

The Bureau of Plant Industry also provides grafted mango seedlings that bear...