Less than a month before the start of the harvest, the colour purple dominates mango plantations in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos and Santa Elena. About 21,500 people are getting ready to pick and pack about 10 million boxes of 4 kilos of fruit.
This year the production of exportable mango could decrease by 20%, said Bernardo Malo, Chairman of the Board of Ecuador's Mango Foundation, during the V International Mango Congress, which ran until Friday September 5 at the Hotel Oro Verde in Guayaquil.
According to Malo, the decline in fruit production was due mainly to meteorological factors. "There have been late rainfalls and inadequate temperatures at times when the crops needed them the least," he said.
This contrasts with what happened in the 2013-2014 season, when the weather and investments made by producers helped increase mango exports by 8.7% compared to 2012-2013 season.
Data from the Mango Foundation indicates that mango exports between October 2013 and January this year (harvest time) amounted to 11,850,488 boxes of 4 kilos, 951,596 boxes more than the 10,898,892 boxes exported in the 2012-2013 season.
12 years ago there were 10,000 hectares of mango for export. At present, the nearly 5,150 hectares of mango for export are in their fruit development stage, which is why the harvest is expected to start "in about three weeks and, due to a delay in the production curve, we believe it will peak around mid-November."
"Generally speaking, the country exports about 10 million boxes of mango, which generates about 28 to 30 million dollars for the sector," said Malo.
Potential competitors are Brazil, which had their harvest before Ecuador, and Peru, which has it after Ecuador. What they do has a direct impact on the Ecuadorian mango, which is sold between October and early January. Brazil sells its fruit in August and September and Peru from November to January.
Javier Ponce, head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Magap), acknowledged in a speech that public policies have not done enough for the mango.
He promised to work to facilitate mango exports, analyse the possibilities of commercial incentives and establish some measures so that the sector has a better development.
Regarding the Mango Congress, Malo said that the event was held every two years and that its aim was to strengthen existing business relationships, generate new business and find ways to improve production.
This year's Congress was attended by 14 industry specialists from countries such as Mexico, Israel, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, United States and others, who spoke about several themes.
Among other varieties, Ecuador exports Tommy Atkins, Haden, Kent and Ataúlfo mango. Guayas, Los Ríos and Santa Elena are the provinces that produce the most mango in the country.
According to the Mango Foundation, between 85% and 90% of the mango exports are shipped to the United States, while the remaining percentage is distributed between Canada, Europe, Mexico, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and the Caribbean.
According to the Foundation, there are 45 mango exporters and producers registered in the country and the sector employs more than 20,000 people to harvest the product, and 1,500 women for packing.
Data
The mango, a renowned exotic tropical fruit is mostly consumed fresh, but can also be used to make jams and preserves. In addition to its great nutritional qualities, the Ecuadorian mango is known for its excellent quality and exquisite taste.
The mango's nutrient quantities allow it to compete with a variety of tropical fruits. With the exception of avocado, no other fruit provides as many nutrients as the mango as it has high carbohydrate content, provitamin A, vitamin B, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid. It also contains calcium, iron and phosphorus, but in small quantities.
The chemical composition of the fruit varies according to its developmental stage, variety and growing conditions. The mango fruit is a valuable dietary supplement.
Source: Telégrafo