The first mango harvests are starting in Senegal, precisely in the country's central region. Aminata Dominique Diouf, from Domaine Agricole de Nema, reports a smooth harvest and hopes to recover from a difficult period for the industry.
© Aminata Dominique Diouf
Diouf shares, "We started our first harvest yesterday, and everything is going well. I'm delighted that our mango trees have produced a lot of fruit, with good coloring and a balanced distribution of sizes. Our fellow growers in the center of the country have also started harvesting, and their quality is good as well. We're located in the Fatick region, 20 kilometers from the Gambian border, where the climate is a little complex, but favors an early production compared to other Senegalese regions."
The grower expects export volumes to increase this season. She says: "We dare to hope that we'll finally get out of the problems that have marked the last few seasons. It's still too early to predict how the season will be at the national level, but in the central region, the season has started with normal timing, good quality, and smooth logistics, the exact opposite of the difficulties encountered in recent years."
© Aminata Dominique Diouf
"The first harvests are marked by the presence of sizes ranging from 4 to 14, with fruit coloring of up to 60% for mangoes shipped by sea, 70-80% for mangoes shipped by air, and, depending on customer requirements, for mangoes shipped by road," the grower continues.
"At Domaine Nema, we have 350 tonnes available this season, and we're already starting our first exports to Europe of freshly picked mangoes. We have our own packaging house, a pre-cooling room, a cold room, and a refrigerated truck to guarantee no break in the cold chain," Diouf adds.
© Aminata Dominique Diouf
The export campaign will be interrupted for three days, from June 6 to 8, to mark the Adha holiday, according to Diouf. She concludes, "We're apprehensive about the cost of transport, but if the fruit arrives safely and the customer is satisfied, that's the most important thing."
For more information:
Aminata Dominique Diouf
Domaine Agricole du Nema
Tel: +221 77 480 42 32
Email: [email protected]
