Mango
Mangoes are grown by small-scale producers as well as on big plantations. There are over a 1,000 different types of mangoes, but only a few of them are suitable for export or trade. The mango is indigenous to India and is still grown there. As mangoes are seasonal, they need to be sourced from different countries to guarantee a year-round supply.Did you know…
- Mango was described in Hindu writing 4000 years BC as the fruit of the Gods.
Most important export countries
- Mexico
- India
- Brazil
- Pakistan
- Netherlands
Most important production countries
- India
- China
- Mexico
- Pakistan
- Thailand
Production chain
Mangoes are grown on small holder farms and on larger plantations. Mangoes must be picked when they have a certain hardness and ripeness, otherwise they do not ripen properly. The best mangoes are selected, checked for quality and diseases, packed and cooled in the storehouse of the exporter before being transported around the world. Once they arrive at their final destination, they are left to ripen for another four to five days before they are put on display in supermarkets and stores.
Problems
Irrigation of mango plantations is a critical issue considering that the mango is typically grown in regions where there is usually a scarcity of water. Export-orientated production makes use of extensive irrigation systems that often exhausts underground water supplies. In countries such as Senegal and Ivory Coast, irrigation for mango plantations end up competing with drinking water and irrigation for local food production. The mango sector has the lack of clear and understandable agreements for small farmers and exporters when trading the fruit. Large supermarkets have significant influence over production conditions and the price of mango through their purchasing policy. Supermarkets sometimes change purchasing conditions suddenly or even pay for the goods weeks after delivery leaving small farmers in difficult situations. In addition, long term arrangements and purchase guarantee are not common practice.
Major Chain Issues
In the mango sector, Fairfood International has identified the following major chain issues:
| Major chain | Production stage |
 Corruption |
Whole chain |
 Water Mismanagement and Contamination |
Production |
 Unclear agreements |
Whole chain |
Solutions
The guide below shows certification schemes whose standards indicate a match with some or all of Fairfood’s researched major issues for this commodity. To learn more about the schemes, click on their logo.
 Fairtrade |
 Naturland |
 Rainforest Alliance |
 IMO Fair for Life |
| Production |
Production |
Production |
Production |
In addition to making use of standards and certification schemes, major issues in this commodity could also be addressed in a customised manner. The box below outlines a few examples of initiatives that deal with sustainability issues in this particular sector. Companies could join some of the platforms or roundtables mentioned below. These could serve as a stepping stone to increased sustainability. Other initiatives, in the form of corporate programmes and chain partnerships, could serve as inspiration for replication by other companies within the sector. To learn more about any of the initiatives, click on their logo.
Corporate program |
Innocent Drinks is a fruit smoothie brand from the UK which was established in 1998. In addition to sourcing fruits from Rainforest Alliance certified farms, Innocent Drinks has developed its own Minimum Standards. These standards cover several sustainability aspects, ranging from labour conditions to biodiversity. Suppliers are encouraged to work towards complying with these standards when an existing certification scheme is not available. |
Corporate program |
The Integrated Tamale Fruit Company (ITFC) is a private company in Ghana that cultivates certified organic mangoes for both local and international markets. The ITFC initiated an outgrower scheme in 2001, which includes up to 2,000 farmers – each with a farm of about an acre containing about a 100 mango trees. The ITFC improves the access to finance by providing an interest free loan to the outgrowers. The farmers can start paying off their loan from the sale of mangoes after five years. This arrangement guarantees that the ITFC can source a large volume of high quality organic mangoes and that the low-income farmers can earn sufficient income for their families in the long term. |
Chain Partnership |
Albert Heijn’s main fruit and vegetable supplier, Bakker Barendrecht, purchases mangoes from four exporters in Mali who, in turn, source their mangos from 240 different farmers and traders. A public-private partnership was formed with the cooperation of the Dutch Royal Tropical Institute, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahold, Bakker Barendrecht and several other organisations in Mali. After a modern logistics and cooling centre was built, Bakker Barendrecht invested in their mango supply chain by training the local staff in warehouse management and processing. |
