Peruvian mango output plummets

Fruitnet.com, 19 December 2008

Exports are expected to reduce significantly this season after an unusually mild winter is set to cut production by half

Peruvian mango exporters are scaling back their supply programmes significantly due to an estimated 50 per cent fall in production following an unusually mild winter, according to the country’s mango exporters’ association (APEM).

Exports may struggle to reach 60,000 tonnes in 2008/09, APEM said, well down on the record 104,000 tonnes shipped last season.

“The temperature variation during the winter months was much smaller than usual – that is to say that average minimum temperatures were 1.5oC higher and average maximum temperatures 1oC lower than normal,” APEM manager Juan Carlos Rivera told Fruitnet.com.

“The result was poor flowering that has led to a significant fall in production. Although the quality of this year’s crop is very good, we expect output to be as much as 50 per cent down on 2007/08, when it reached approximately 300,000 tonnes.”

Peru has diversified its export markets over the last few seasons in an effort to reduce dependence on the US – which as recently as 2002/03 accounted for two-thirds of exports.

Although the US and Europe remain the biggest destinations, absorbing around 43 per cent and 53 per cent of the export total respectively last year, Peru now increasingly exports mangoes to China, eastern Europe, New Zealand and Chile, among other countries.

India: Management of mango hoppers in orchards

Mango hoppers are the most serious pests of mango. Hoppers have small sized wedge shaped body. Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from tender leaves, buds, flowers, flower stalk and fruits. Severely infested leaves become curled and inflorescences get dried. In addition to direct damage, hoppers excrete honeydew on the infested plant parts which encourages the growth of fungal pathogen that form a sooty mould on the infested areas.

Favourable season
They are present throughout the year but are abundant only during the flowering season. The nymphs mature during June to October (feed and breed on the vegetative shoots) and January to March (breed on the flowers and inflorescence).
Egg laying Adult female lays about 200 eggs singly by penetrating them into the midrib of the young leaves, shoots, flower stalks and unopened flowers.

Eggs are dull white in colour initially which later turn into light brown. The incubation period varies from 4 to 8 days. After hatching from eggs, the nymphs are pinkish in colour which later turn into pale brown with prominent red bulged eyes along with long black coloured bristles on abdomen.

Nymphal period is 10-14 days. Female can be identified with the sickle shaped ovipositor. Adult longevity varies between three and four days.

Pest management
Avoid dense planting. Adopt resistant varieties and avoid susceptible varieties such as Baneshan, Chinnarasam, Bangalora, Khadar, Gaddemar, Rumani and Himayuddin ( Padiri, Neelam, Mulgoa, Peter and Sindura varieties are highly susceptible). Orchards must be kept clean by ploughing and removal of weeds.

Remove over crowded, overlapping and infected branches.
Spray Phosalone 35 EC 1.5ml/ litre (or) Carbaryl 50WP 3gm/litre (or) Monocrotophos 36 WSC 1.25 ml/ litre. Two rounds, first at the time of panicle emergence and the second two weeks later. Spray 3 per cent neem oil or neem seed kernel powder extract 5 per cent.


Source: hindu.com
Publication date: 12/18/2008

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"Clarity sells"
Nature’s Pride: ready-to-eat is craftmanship

Slogans like 'Tree ripened', 'Eat me now', 'Eat me tomorrow' and 'Ready to Eat' are known to everybody, but do they mean the same to everybody? Nature's Pride is clear with the concept 'Ready to eat'! By supplying constant quality in a recognizable packing all year round the consumer receives a highly appreciated product. The mango has changed from an impulse sale to a set item on the shopping list of the consumer.



Continuity of availability and recognition are therefore of great importance and have demonstrated themselves to be a success. In order to be able to deliver a good product continuously Nature's Pride have ten hightech ripening rooms with a capacity of 240 pallets per ripening session at their disposal. Consequently Nature's Pride are in a position to supply all ready-to-eat products from stock. Nature's Pride not only ripen mango's, but also paw-paws and avocado's. These products are all offered in the special ready-to-eat carton or packed in accordance with the wishes of the customer.


As a result local supermarkets and abroad, especially in Scandinavia, Gemany and Belgium, have Nature's Pride products always in their assortment. Nature's Pride inform their customers well in time regarding availability, prices and promotions. Therefore it is possible to make plans together.

As an example they have already started to offer ready-to-eat mango's during December for spring 2009. Nature's Pride is in a position to do this because they purchase their products from fixed growers. This is of great importance to the customers of Nature's Pride in connection with planning of shelf space, folders and other offers.

The products being ripened by Nature's Pride are delivered under special conditions from the country of origin. The products must be in accordance with the required varieties and quality. The motto of Nature's Pride is very clear: it is impossible to make something from nothing.

Not only the brix-grade but also the colour of the pulp, LBS (firmness), pre-cooling and the shipping temperature are all parts of the successful ripening process. When ripening avocado's it is important to pay attention to the oil percentage in order to obtain a good ripeness and taste.

The ripening of mango's, paw-paws and avocado's is a skill, which, according to Nature's Pride, can only be successful by means of passion for this line of business.
The ripening controllers of Nature's Pride are day and night in contact with the ripening chambers by computer and cell phone.

During packing all mango's, paw-paws and avocado's are looked at and checked for ripeness, damages and quality. In this way Nature's Pride can guarantee, that all fruit is in accordance with the specified requirements.



For more information:
Hennie van Es
Nature's Pride
Tel.: 0031 (0)174 52 59 00
Fax: 0031 ()0174 52 59 09
www.naturespride.nl

Latest EU Market Intelligence Report

Here's the latest mango MIR from Ghana Fresh Produce:

MIR Mango Update 2008

Cold, rainy weather curbs mango exports to U.S.

By Andy Nelson, The Packer

(Dec. 10, 3:16 p.m.) Rainy weather, followed by cold weather, in Ecuador and Peru is severely limiting the number of mangoes being exported to the U.S. this season, importers and industry officials said. But because of the slumping U.S. economy, markets may not strengthen as much as might be expected, though they could hit $6 for a one-layer flat.

Heavy rains during the flowering period prevented many trees from flowering in both countries, said Gilmar Mello, operations manager for Amazon Produce Network, Glassboro, N.J. Then, when harvest time drew near, cold weather put another dent in production — in addition to delaying shipments by about two weeks, Mello said. The result is about an expected 50% drop in Peruvian shipments and a 40% drop in Ecuadorian shipments, he said.

The same was true industry-wide, said Wendy McManus, marketing director for the Orlando, Fla.-based National Mango Board. “Volumes are way off this year,” she said. In late November, for instance, when Ecuadorian shipments often peak, weekly volumes hovered around 500,000 boxes, down from about 800,000 boxes last year at the same time, according to the mango board.

In this economic climate, being short isn’t necessarily a bad thing, said Michael Warren, president of Central American Produce Inc., Pompano Beach, Fla. “Things are looking good,” Warren said. “They always look good when you see more potential.” Prices for Brazilian product were lower than expected, Warren said. Now that Brazil is out of the deal, markets should continue to strengthen, possibly hitting $6 for one-layer flats.

On Dec. 9, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported prices of $4-4.50 for one-layer flats of tommy atkins size 7-12 from Ecuador, up from $3-3.50 last year at the same time. Peru would begin to take over the bulk of the deal from Ecuador in late December, Warren said. In addition, McManus said, there could be gap this year, probably in late December, after Ecuador finishes or all but finishes and before Peru ships in any but very small volumes.

By the second week of December, Ecuador had passed its peak and Peru was beginning to take over the deal, Mello said. Very light shipments of tommy atkins and hadens in mid-December would yield quickly to kents, with volumes peaking from about mid-January to Feb. 1, Mello said. About 90% of mangoes imported by Amazon are kents, he said. Despite the sharp decline in volumes this season, markets were not expected to go through the roof, Mello said. The U.S. economy is to blame. “The price is going up — we foresee good prices — but I don’t expect them to be too high,” he said. Mello reported very good quality on product shipping in December, with fruit sizing larger than normal. Warren reported great quality, with sizes peaking on 9s and 10s

Mango marketing takes on foodservice

The National Mango Board is focusing increasingly on better positioning mangos within the US foodservice industry

The National Mango Board (NMB) and Sodexho, the leading provider of integrated food and facilities management services in the US, Canada and Mexico, have announced plans to work together on a spring-summer mango promotion campaign in 2009.

According to a NMB news release, Sodexho will create fresh mango menu items to be served in more than 1,200 Sodexho-managed locations in the US, following on from successful efforts to better position mangos within the foodservice industry during 2008.

“It’s important for us to place mango versatility front and center in the foodservice industry and provide its members with innovative ways to incorporate mangos into their menus,” Wendy McManus, director of marketing for the NMB, said in a statement.

“The foodservice industry has a tremendous impact in shaping what consumers eat out which influences what they cook at home. That’s why it’s so important for us to invest in effective programs in this industry,” she added.

Last year, the NMB made strong efforts to impact the foodservice arena and provide restaurants with the tools they needed to create excellent mango dishes.

Activities included a day with “The Mango Man” which saw the NMB and chef Allen Susser host four top-level chefs from Sodexho and the Cheesecake Factory for a daylong workshop, providing the chefs hands-on experience with mangos.

The NMB has also recently updated its website www.mango.org to include a more extensive foodservice section, which now details information on selection, ripening and storage of mangos in order to educate foodservice professionals on the fruit’s three levels of ripeness and how those flavors impact certain dishes.

The US expects to have imported around 5m cartons of Ecuadorean mangos when the South American country's season closes in January, down from the original estimate of 6.8m cartons, according to NMB figures.

The industry is also gearing up to import 5.3m cartons of mangos during the Peruvian season which is set to kick-off in the second week of December.

Fruitnet.com, Dec 8, 2008

Rio Grande Valley a key point for Ecuador, Peru

By Andy Nelson

The Rio Grande Valley continues to be a popular entry point for tropical imports — but not all of them originate from Mexico.

FoodSource Inc., Edinburg, Texas, a tropicals importer owned by C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., Minneapolis, expects to bring in organic and conventionally grown mangoes, lemons, coconuts and Persian and key limes this season, said Lee Moyer, sales manager. Some items, such as limes, the company supplies year-round, Moyer said. Others, including mangoes, are sourced from different countries at different times.

FoodSource began bringing in mangoes from Ecuador in late October, about the time it was beginning to phase out its Brazilian deal. Moyer reported good quality on early shipments.

Production from Ecuador is expected to be down 30-35% because of hurricane-related damage and the weak dollar, which is steering more fruit away from the U.S. and toward Europe, Moyer said. Ecuadorian fruit started at $7-8 but by the end of October had slipped to $5-6, Moyer said. “When it gets to $5, we can start promoting,” Moyer said. “No one wants the price to go down, but when it does, we can generate promotions, and promotions generate movement.” Ecuadorian fruit ships into December, when Peru begins to take over the deal. Peruvian product will likely begin shipping about Dec. 15, Moyer said.

Peru also is expected to be down — by as much as 50%, based on reports Moyer has heard. That should make demand for Peruvian mangoes even stronger, Moyer said. “Christmas and New Year’s is always a bigger time of year for us,” he said.

Mexican mangoes should begin shipping in February and wrap up in August, Moyer said. FoodSource’s organic mango deal is limited to Mexico, which ships the fruit about six months out of the year, Moyer said. “I don’t know of a lot of offshore organic mangoes,” he said.

Mexican limes shipping in mid-fall, meanwhile, were suffering the effects of a very wet and at times boiling summer, Moyer said. “When it’s raining and 115 (degrees), it’s hard on citrus,” he said. Fortunately, there are four Mexican lime crops that typically ship every year, and a new crop was set to begin in mid- to late-November, with better quality expected, Moyer said. “The fall/winter crop is more green, more solid,” he said. “It’s a better lime.” FoodSource is projecting “adequate volumes” for late fall and early winter shipments, Moyer said. The fall/winter crop should ship through about Feb. 15, he predicted.

Frontera Produce Ltd., Edinburg, began golden pineapple production in Mexico in mid-October and expects steady volumes through June, said Ken Nabal, vice president of sales and logistics. Growing in Mexico has proven to be a boon for Frontera and its customers, Nabal said. “Our fruit is harvested at its ripest stage and gold color, pick-packed and shipped to our customers in three days,” he said. “This is a distinct advantage to offshore product that has to travel much farther distances.” Frontera also ships mangoes from Mexico, beginning with ataulfos in late February, and Mexican papayas on a mixer basis, Nabal said.

The Packer, Dec 4, 2008

Compagnie Fruitière makes port switch

Company set to transfer entire European import programme from Port of Antwerp to Belgian coastal port of Zeebrugge

Leading European fresh produce company Compagnie Fruitière is preparing to switch the shipment of its entire European import programme to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge from its current point of entry Antwerp, Fruitnet.com understands.

The move, which is expected to come into effect as of the first week of January, is reportedly being implemented as a cost-saving exercise and will involve the transferral of some 250,000 tonnes of fruit per annum to the coastal port.

Compagnie Fruitière sources a number of products, including bananas, pineapples and exotics, from the West African countries of Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Cameroon.
Further details will appear in the next issue of Eurofruit Magazine, which is due to be published in January.

www.fruitnet.com, Dec 03, 2008

Ecuador: mango production decreased during last year

Apart from a lower production per hectare the growing area for mango trees also decreased. As the harvesting season is nearing its end producers and exporters have established a substantial decrease in the number of hectares. Low prices on the world market have caused a number of farmers to change cultures.

Bernardo Malo, chairman of Fundacion Mango, points out that the area decreased from 6,500 HA in 2007 to about 5,800 HA this past year. The decrease is accordance with the earlier started tendency. Ten years ago mango's were grown on more than 10,000 HA. According to Malo the difference between the producers-
and the selling price is becoming smaller all the time. The uncertain weather conditions played a very important role, especially as flowering occurred earlier than preferred. Also the processing industry noticed the results of the decrease in production.

After a perod of increase lasting 3 years the export decreased this year. Official data are not available, but one grower estimates the decrease in export to be between 30 and 35 percent this year. Figures supplied by Banco Central indicate that profits from export were in excess of 21 million dollar. The most important mango varieties exported by Ecuador are Tommy Atkins, Haden,Keitt and Ataulfo. About 80% is going to the American market against 7% for the EU and Canada. The rest goes to Mexico, New Zealand, Chile and other countries.

Fresh Plaza, 12/1/2008

National Mango Board launches kids game

The interactive geography-based activity is designed to educate children in the US about mangos in order to boost consumption. The National Mango Board (NMB) in the US has announced the launch of an interactive game called Jango Geography to educate children about mangos in terms of their countries of origin and health benefits.

The goal is to increase mango consumption in the US, the organisation said in a press release, with Jango Mango, the NMB’s global ambassador, serving as a guide to walk children through the educational online activity. “Interactive games are a great way to connect with kids and this fun learning activity introduces kids to the healthy fun and flavor of mangos to help us create lifelong, loyal mango lovers,” said Wendy McManus, director of marketing for the NMB. “With the help of this game, children can interact with mangos on a whole new level.”

In Jango Geography, children can learn numerous mango facts such as the fruit’s countries of origin and their capital cities, languages spoken, currency and landmarks. There are also facts to learn about the fruit’s history, how to select mangos, nutrition facts and the ways in which the fruit is consumed in different countries.

US mango consumption per capita has quadrupled since 1990 to an estimated 2.2lbs per year in 2007, according to the NMB. Mango import volume for 2007 reached 661m lbs, a 3 per cent increase on 2006 and up 15 per cent in comparison to 2005. According to Consumer Research commissioned by the NMB, some 35 per cent of US customers purchased mangos within the last 6 months.

www.fruitnet.com, Nov 26, 2008