Hainan mango loosing top market position in China

“The Hainan mango is not doing as well on the market as it was five years ago. Before 2010, Hainan mango's were considered top mango's on the Chinese market. After 2010, that position has started to decline. More growers in other parts of China, such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and in Taiwan, have started to cultivate mango's. The increase in supply automatically pulled market prices down,” says Mr Dun Peng from the Sanya Sanling Mango Plantation in Hainan Province.

Mangoes from Hainan are popular, despite growing competition. The biggest advantage is that the harvest season in the Province runs from early February until June. The start of the harvest takes place up to two to three months earlier than in other regions. In the months of February and March, mangoes from Hainan enjoy a monopoly position on the Chinese domestic market. As such, the fruits get to be sold at high prices. Lower prices follow in May and June.

A mango grower in Hainan is inspecting the ripening process of the fruit almost ready to be harvested

“Performance this season has not been well. At the beginning of the season, there was short periods in which mangoes were sold at strong wholesale prices of 5 Yuan per kg. Growers, attracted by these prices, tried to get their products on the market as soon as possible. Some growers started to pick mango's that were not fully ready to be picked yet. These mangoes only lasted for 2 to 3 days in storage, instead of 6 to 8 days. The backlash came when wholesalers, scared of products perishing too quickly, stopped buying big quantities. Wholesalers then gave growers two options: let the mangoes perish, or sell at much lower prices of 3.5 Yuan to 4 Yuan per kg."

Mr Peng is positive about next year's outlook: “I am expecting a better season next year. Mango sales in Hainan are stable at the start of the season. In February and March, we have virtually no competition. There are import mangoes on the market, mainly from Taiwan, Thailand and Australia. The main import season takes place between June and August and as such does not threaten our sales. The only factor that can impact our market is nature. I believe growers will not make the same mistake next year as they did this year. So far, there has been no reason to assume that the market will go down.”

Mangoes being laid out and checked for sale on a local market in Hainan

More information:

Dun Peng
Hainan Sanya Sanling Mango Plantation
www.youbian.com/shenghuo/sanya_75465/
Contact number: +86-898-8880130

Photo sources: LSW315 & Wen Yuan Wang