AgriMin aiming for twofold increase in mango exports to US
Published:Friday | January 7, 2022 | 12:07 AMKarena Bennett - Business Reporter
Exports of Jamaica’s St Julian and East Indian mangoes are expected to double in quantity for the 2022 crop, as more exporters answer the call from the Ministry of Agriculture to fill the growing demand for the luscious fruit in international markets.
Up to Tuesday, the ministry had received 13 applications for mango exports to the United States this season, four more potential exporters than the country had in 2021. Jamaica is aiming to hit export numbers of 178,000 kilogrammes to the United States this year, doubling the 89,000 kg in 2021 and quadrupling the 41,000 kg in 2020.
The agriculture ministry also anticipates that exports to the United Kingdom and Canada will increase as well in 2022.
But having enough supplies to meet foreign demand is heavily dependent on whether mango farmers are able to meet export requirements in time for the start of the 2022 season.
Jamaica got approval for its mangoes to re-enter the US market in 2019; however, the approval comes with conditions. To satisfy conditions for export to the US, the Plant Quarantine and Produce Inspection Branch of the ministry must inspect the crop for pests and diseases.
The mangoes also have to be exported in commercial consignments only, and would have to be treated on entering the US to mitigate the risk of fruit flies; as well as the fruits also have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the inspection branch.
Last year, only two of the nine applicants were able to meet the requirement to ship mangoes to the US market.
“The USA has a large market with unlimited potential, and Jamaica has barely tapped into this potential,” the ministry said in its response to queries from the Financial Gleaner.
High demand is also coming from the United Kingdom and Canada, but exports to those countries last year were hobbled by flight availability amid COVID restrictions, as well as what the ministry said was a “slow uptake by exporters” following the resumption of exports to the UK market.
Over the period April to October 2021, almost 600,000 kg of mangoes were exported to Canada and the United Kingdom.
East Indian and St Julian mangoes are the preferred varieties for all three major markets. However, there is a small demand for Common, Black, Haden and Chin Graham mangoes, the ministry said.
The country’s largest mango exporters include Dawson’s Trading Company and Carita Jamaica Limited, both of which export to the US and other markets, as well as Harvest Hill, Wah Gwaan Export, Natalie Export, Arnel Fresh Produce and Ancott Limited.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Agriculture – through the Agro-Investment Corporation – has been trying to get the number of exporters up, and in October announced that it had secured four of the 20 investors being sought to farm some 1,000 acres of idle sugarcane lands in Toll Gate, Clarendon.
The lands have been earmarked for the cultivation of St Julian and East Indian mangoes, but the challenge has been to find investors who will be able to spend between $13 million and $15 million in cultivation costs, in addition to finding funds to lease the property from the Agro-Investment Corporation under a 25-year agreement.
The new mango investors are expected to join 13 others in 2025, when the mangoes in the Clarendon Agro Park come to maturity.
In the meantime, the ministry has set up a mandatory training session for the current batch of exporters for later this month.
The orchard management training sessions are used to advise farmers and exporters of the programme requirements necessary to reduce the incidence of the five pests identified by the US Department of Agriculture, at the field level and at the packing house.
“This session will also provide information on cultural management, or ways to improve and maintain good agricultural practices,” the agriculture ministry said.