"There are still places in Spain where mangoes are unknown"

Although it is still too early for predictions regarding the next Spanish mango campaign, given that the flowering stage has not yet finished, prospects point to the harvest being similar in terms of volume to that of 2016.

"It is still difficult to predict what the volume will be, because the flowering stage is not over yet," explains Martina Otten, sales manager at Trops, a Malaga-based company that produces between 40 and 50% of Spain's mangoes. This year, Trops has welcomed new partners and expanded with new plantations and already has around 2,000 hectares devoted to this crop.

The dominant mango variety in Malaga, with more than 75% of the total, is still the Osteen, followed by the Keitt. The acreage devoted to the Tommy Atkins and Kent remains stable. Varieties like the Irwin stand out, but their perishable nature makes their sale difficult. "We are working on new varieties to be able to start earlier and/or extend our campaign, but it is a long process and we are still in the process of testing in the field," affirms Otten.

In order to guarantee a continuous service to its customers, Trops imports mangoes from other origins, such as Ivory Coast at the moment. "Then we continue with Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal," she added.

The market situation is satisfactory at the moment. According to Martina Otten, "there is a good balance between supply and demand."

During the Spanish mango campaign, the main markets for this company are the European countries, led by France and Germany, followed by Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, among others.

The sales manager states that "we are seeing an increase in mango sales year after year." Malaga's mangoes have gained plenty of ground thanks to their good quality and closeness to the markets. There are many consumers eagerly awaiting the arrival of the mangoes from Malaga, both in Spain and abroad, although there are some places in Spain where the fruit is still unknown. We need more promotions and information about this crop and its characteristics, as well as its health benefits and the multiple ways of consuming it. The internet and social media have made this process a lot easier."

"Mango consumption formats have not changed much, although with the great interest of consumers in recipes and healthy diets, more dishes with mangoes are appearing and the fruit is being used in a wider variety of ways and not just as a dessert. We have noticed a greater supply of cut mango for salads or juices, but we know that the mangoes used for these purposes are often second class."