A record-setting volume of mangoes has arrived on the US market so far this year, with imports up by 15 per cent compared with the year-earlier period.
The National Mango Board (NMB) said arrivals between 1 April and 15 August were both higher than the same period in 2009 and higher than any other year on record for the same period.
Favourable growing conditions across multiple mango-growing regions have contributed to the record-setting volume, NMB said.
The primary source of growth was Mexico, whose mango exports to the US have risen by 18 per cent to date in 2010, compared with the same period in 2009.
“The spike in volume, particularly in the front part of the season, is attributed mainly to the increased production of Ataulfos,” explained Ken Nabal, vice-president of sales and logistics for Frontera Produce, Ltd.
“It’s important to note that yellow-skined mango sales have been mostly incremental as regular mango movement is growing as well”.
Preliminary forecasts from NMB indicate that volume for the fall/winter season will also be strong.
Brazil began exporting in late July, and Ecuador has followed close behind with shipments starting in late September.
To help drive demand for the larger crop, NMB has launched marketing initiatives in the consumer, retail and foodservice sectors.
In the first two quarters of 2010, US consumers were exposed to mango messages more than 339m times, which is a 49 per cent increase over 2009 results for the same period.
Early results show a positive trend developing in retail mango sales for 2010.
First quarter mango sales per store per week were up by 39 per cent against the first quarter of 2009.
Second-quarter mango sales per store per week were also up by 20 per cent over 2009 according to data from The Perishables Group Fresh Facts system.
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