AU: Mangoes start at good prices
Steve Baker said prices for their fruit have never started this high.
"As the season progresses the price usually comes up, but this year's probably the highest we've started at," he said.
"There's a lack of good quality out there and the season is winding up everywhere else, so they're about $30 to $40 at the moment."
He and wife Terri started picking fruit three weeks ago on their property at Yelgun and are on track to again produce 4,000 trays of mangoes this year.
Mr Baker said the season is looking good despite some damage to the fruit.
"More damage than other years with the hot and dry spring we had, a lot of wind damage and a little bit of sunburn, but overall I think it'll be okay."
The heavy rain recorded in the region last weekend cut their premium pack-out in half.
"You can't pick in the rain so that really hampers the harvest but hopefully things will settle down and we'll be right from here on in," he said.
The Bakers grow the Honey Gold variety and have no regrets making the switch from Kensington Pride.
"We were overlapping too much with the Mareeba district and because we're picking in our wet season and they're not, quality was difficult and prices were no good so if we wanted to stay in the game we had to look for something different," he said.
"Appearance has got to be its biggest key when it's done well and just an awesome flavour when they're eaten at the right stage."
Mr Baker said the premium price for the later season mango was another influencing factor in the decision to change varieties in 2002.
The majority of the mangoes are sold to the Sydney Wholesale Markets with some of the second grade product sold locally.