The Ecuadorian mango season will start week 39, around September 20th. “We will start with the yellow varieties – mainly the Ataulfo variety, and then in week 40 Tommy Atkins will be available as well. In the middle of November, we’ll have Kents available too, and some lower volumes of Hadens. The season will run until the first or second week of January, depending on how early the winter rains arrive,” says Bernardo Malo Chairman of the Mango Ecuador Foundation that represents all the country's growers, packers & shippers.
Steady volumes but delayed peak likely
The past three to four years, the mango production in Ecuador has seen steady volumes, Malo shares. “It’s been around 13.5 million boxes of 4 kilos in the past years and this year the projected volumes are looking to be right around that number – there might be a slight decrease, but it will be no more than 5%,” he says.
In the past few weeks, Ecuador has been seeing cool temperatures at night, which has had a bit of an effect on the mango maturation. Because of this, the season could potentially see a bit of a delay. “There might be a slight delay in terms of production,” Malo shares. “The start of the season might be pushed back slightly, and we’ll likely see the arrival of the peak production a bit later than usual, no earlier than November.”
Normal market expected this coming season
The Ecuadorian mangoes are mostly destined for the US market: “Around 80% of the production goes to the US market and the remaining 20% is spread out over Canada, Europe, Chile and Mexico,” Malo shares. Overall, the market for the mangoes is expected to be normal this season. “Despite the pandemic, fruits and vegetables have continued to see good demand, so we foresee a relatively normal season in terms of demand. Our biggest concern is always if the demand will be at the right level, and for now it seems to be,” Malo says.
“We are excited about the start of the new Ecuadorian mango season. Ecuador is an important mango producing country, together with the other origins, and we have gained our space in the market due to the wide range of varieties we manage, together with delivering good quality and maintain a good reputation. We look forward to the start of the new season,” he concludes.
For more information:
Bernardo Malo
Mango Ecuador Foundation
Tel: +593 4 600 0224
Email: bmalo@refintropicals.com
www.mangoecuador.org