generic mangoes

A display of Taiwanese mangoes is underway in Japan, with three Tokyo supermarkets showcasing the Irwin variety, Taiwan's Central News Agency has reported.

Deputy director of the Tawian Council of Agriculture's Department of International Affairs, Hsiao Tung-chung, said the promotion would be staged in Keio supermarkets.

The first display was held on 1 July, the second will take place on 7-8 July and the third will be held 14-15 July.

Taiwan's Irwin mangoes are incredibly popular in Japan, and an online poll in 2007 showed the variety was favoured by 76 per cent of Japanese consumers who voted, beating Japanese-grown varieties.

Ms Hsiao said Japan is the major market for Taiwanese fruit and in 2009 the country shipped US$20.18m worth of fresh fruit to Japan, almost half of its fresh fruit exports for that year.

Taiwan shipped 993 tonnes of mangoes to Japan in 2009, accounting for 22 per cent of the country's total mango exports for that year, making it the largest single destination for Taiwanese mangoes.

The total value of Taiwan's mango exports last year stood at US$9.48m.