Yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture, Osmar Benitez, stated that the country's mango exports amounted to US $20 million and that this amount could be quickly doubled with the installation of a thermal plant to treat the fruit.
He also said that the Dominican Republic had the capacity to produce enough mango to achieve exports for more than US $100 million.
The official made those statements when announcing the Expo Mango 2018 Fair, which will be held in Bani, the mango capital that is located in the province of Peravia. He was accompanied by the president of the Mango Cluster, Rafael Leger; the president of the Organizing Committee of the fair, Onesimo Mejia, and of other personalities.
Expo Mango, which this year is dedicated to agribusiness Roberto Serrano, will be held from June 27 to July 1.
Benitez said that the main mango export destinations were the United Kingdom with 41%, the Netherlands 33%, France 8%, Germany 6%, the United States 4%, and Canada and other countries 8%. The country exports fresh mango, and derivatives, such as jams, pulp and sweet, among other by-products to those markets.
The main varieties of mangoes exported by the country, are: Keitt 66%, Mingolo 18%, whose demand has increased in recent years, Grain of Gold 9%, Banilejo 6% and other varieties 1%, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The president of the Mango Cluster, Rafael Leger, said that the country, which in 2004 only exported 300 thousand boxes of mango, currently exports 4 million boxes of mango; which places the country among the first 20 exporters of this fruit in the world.
Onesimo Mejia, the president of the Association of Mango Producers, said that the fair was open to national and international visitors, as it turned the province of Peravia into the Capital of Mango, where people can buy and enjoy all the varieties of mango they want.
Source: hoy.com.do