"The Spanish mango harvest could be up to 35% smaller than last year's"

The Spanish mango season is just around the corner. The harvest will kick off in late August in Malaga, the country's main producing area. According to producer, importer and exporter Álvaro Martínez, manager of the Malaga-based company Axarfruit, 2019 will be an off year in terms of production volumes, which could fall by between 30 and 35% compared to last year, depending on farms and varieties.

“We will start the mango campaign with the marketing of the first Spanish greenhouse mangoes, which allow us to start ten to fifteen days before the arrival of the open ground mangoes,” says Álvaro Martínez.

“The yields will be lower compared to last season, and although there will be fewer volumes than last year, this will also be somewhat offset by the entry into production of younger plantations. Also, given that it will be an off year, there will be a greater abundance of large sizes,” he says.

Axarfruit is specialized in the production and marketing of organic mangoes, avocados and lemons, with European countries as its main markets.

The mango market is going through a good time in terms of demand and prices, with the latter amounting to around 8 Euro per box, according to Álvaro Martínez. “Spanish mangoes could arrive to a relatively empty market. At the moment, Europe only has Palmer mangoes from Brazil and air-shipped mangoes from Mexico, and unlike other years, in which Senegal caused prices to plunge around this time, this year there is little availability from this origin, as the productions there have experienced problems due to the abundant rains."

Malaga's earliest variety is the Tommy Atkins, but there are hardly any plantations left, since they have been replaced by other varieties. Although the most planted mango is the Osteen, other varieties such as the Keitt have been gaining ground in recent years, as growers have been seeking to extend the campaign.

“Although a lot of mango has been planted in Malaga in recent years, this growth has now stopped, mainly due to the lack of infrastructure to supply the fields with irrigation water. The fact is that, unlike avocados, whose production is spreading in other areas of Spain and even in Portugal, Malaga is practically the only area of ​​the Peninsula where mangoes can be planted. We have been asking for an improvement of the water infrastructure in this area for many years and we hope that the public administrations will respond, in view of the high income and job creation that it represents for this area,” concludes Álvaro Martínez.

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