Mango: King of Tropical Fruits Grows in Exports

Mangoes, along with guavas and mangosteens, were the 13th-largest foreign sales crop during the first months of 2020 reaching a total value of US$150 million, of which mangoes represented more than 82,000 tons valued at US$95 million. 

From January to May, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) revealed that Mexico exported to 18 countries in the world. The US was the No. 1 recipient of Mexican mango at 86 percent (70,400 tons) of total exports, followed by Canada with 12 percent (10,000 tons) and Japan with 1 percent (700 tons). The rest went to various other countries such as the Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Guatemala, Norway, Australia, Sweden, Russia, and the UAE. Overall, SADER reported that mango exports totaled US$298.6 million from January to August, a 6.9 percent year-on-year increase.

Mexico is the top exporter of mangoes worldwide, followed by India, the Netherlands, Brazil and Thailand, according to the Integrated Foreign Trade Information System. In turn, the countries that import most mangos are the US, China, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK. 

Mexican mangoes, known as Ataulfo Mangoes, were awarded the denomination of origin in 2003 in honor of the Soconusco Chiapas region where they are produced. These mangoes weigh 350g in average and are characterized by an average composition of 69 percent pulp, 19 percent skin and 8.5 percent seed. SADER’s Agrifood and Fisheries Information Service (SIAP) reported that Chiapas led the list of states with the highest mango production by the end of 1Q20. Guerrero, Nayarit and Sinaloa are also among the largest producers, together representing over 50 percent of the national mango production, according to the SIAP. The rest come from states like Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Jalisco, Michoacan, Oaxaca and Veracruz. SIAP also estimates that the average person in Mexico consumes more than 11kg of this fruit annually.   

Beyond its nutritional value, mango production is an important source of jobs. According to SADER, the mango production chain generates approximately 23,453 permanent jobs and 24,253 temporary jobs. 

In recent decades, Latin America has consolidated their position as the world's leading suppliers of bananas and tropical fruits, with about 80 percent of global banana, pineapple, papaya and avocado exports and about 50 percent of global mango exports on average, according to FAO. The organization estimates that from 2019 to 2028, Latin American exports of bananas and tropical fruits will increase by 1.7 percent each year, to reach 23 million tons in 2028. The region will therefore remain the main source of the world's banana and tropical fruit supply in the upcoming years and it is expected to capture 80 percent of global production by 2028.