The necessity to crank up Ecuador’s mango production in order to get more crates on the US market, was an important item on the fourth international Mango Congress (IV Congreso Internacional de Mango) in Guayaquil this week.
Bernardo Malo, chairman of the Mango Foundation Ecuador, stated that the 2000 crates produced annually do not suffice to satisfy demands. Production has to increase with at least 25% in order to conquer US markets. 80% of Ecuador’s fruit export is targeted at the US.
Gilmar Melo, partner of the firm Amazon Produce Network (the largest buyer of Ecuador’s mango), says that US demands for the fruit are up: not just with wholesalers, but with smaller outlets as well. He added that in states like New Jersey, small companies are increasingly specialising in selling the mango.
According to Richard Campbell, a mango expert, the success of the fruit is in the distribution of new varieties. In Asia the mango is doing very well, especially the long yellow variety. The red mango remains the most popular variety for mass consumption.
One of the producers’ main concerns are the new rates. With USD 0.06 per kilo, profits are getting increasingly difficult.