For the Love of Mangos - China
Senior Curator of Tropical Fruit Richard J. Campbell travels to China for the 9thInternational Mango Symposium in the tropical paradise of Hainan Island, China. Follow his adventures as he searches for the latest information on growing mangos.
Ten Days in China
Wed, Apr 07, 2010 at 08:56:30 AM
Ten Days in China: The 9th International Mango Symposium, Sanya, Hainan, China.
I find myself in China for the 9th International Mango Symposium in the tropical paradise of Hainan Island, China. I revisit China after a decade and much progress I am sure. China is now a major player in the world of mangos (as well as everything else) and they are eager to show to the west their version of the King of Fruit. So, welcome to the world of the Chinese mango and Sanya, where the motto stands clear and proud, “Mangos for everyone, everyday and from everywhere.”
Hainan Island is busy with growth, and construction is everywhere to be seen. Recently designated as a major tourist destination by the Chinese government, the island builds and plants and awaits the world’s arrival.
Mangos are the focus of my visit and the banners tell the whole story. We are welcomed with open arms to see the mangos. The hotel and hot springs are brand new and specially built for just this occasion, the arrival of the world’s mango experts. Papers are presented and questions asked. Meetings are held both formally and informally within the meeting halls, the eateries and the orchards themselves.
I busy myself with presentations and discussions and of course the consumption of mangos. Mangos are on the menu at every break and meal. The mangos are good. We have ‘Tainung 1’ and ‘Gui Fei’ at most breaks and an occasional ‘Jin Huang’. Many of the varieties of China come from Taiwan and also from Thailand. As commercial fruit go they are good and I eagerly consume them at each break.
So we lecture, we listen and we eat mangos and soon it will be off to the field.
Our hotel sits squarely in the middle of a state mango farm. For the field visit we took a short bus trip to the orchards and the newly built technology center. The mango trees are small and highly managed – and this is to put it mildly. Many of the orchard blocks actually have no leaves. The harvest has passed and the trees have been pruned to remove all of the small shoots - only in China.
Every one of the foreign visitors is thinking the same – this management is unsustainable. However, when put in terms of modern China it really does make sense. With this system there is work to do and employment for the people. We have to remember where we are and what the ultimate objectives are.
Troubling to me is the wide and heavy use of chemical inputs within the orchards. Growth regulators are used to slow growth and concentrate flowering and then more chemicals are used to push the trees and fruit on to harvest. Ingenious perhaps but one has to wonder about the sustainability of this method. The trees in the orchard look “tired” and frankly not happy at all. There are many ways to grow mangos and this one is a bit harsh in my eyes.
I continue to evaluate the local mango varieties that were bought from the markets of Sanya. The mangos were not cheap, coming from a sea-side street market in a tourist district of the city near the South China Sea. Chinese and Russian hang in the air. This is a major tourist destination for Russia and there are signs, banners and offers designed just for the vacationing couple or family.
I think actually that the street vendors saw me coming, so to speak. I did not negotiate the price – a fact that they no doubt took as an invitation to overcharge me. It is difficult for me to haggle over a mango. If it was an avocado or a banana that would be different, but this is the mango and the fruit were indeed beautiful.
We went to the sea’s edge and sat a while and watched the people go by. Everyone is most friendly and pleasant and I got to practice my Chinese. I tried to communicate with the vendors with the variety names of the mangos, but alas, here in China pronunciation is everything.
We went back to the conference to learn more about the mango and to share of course our new experiences.
Back in the conference we discussed the various aspects of mango culture and what was seen in the field. The production system is quite homogenous across the entire island. The spacing was 6X3m or thereabouts and the trees were maintained quite short to afford the Chinese the opportunity to grow mangos with exceptional external quality. The trees are highly accessible and each fruit can be hand-picked for optimal maintenance of quality. The fruit in the island markets bear this out. They are pretty. Unfortunately, as I evaluated the fruit that I purchased early on in the week I found that the local growers are harvesting prematurely. The resultant mangos are compromised in flavor and have a propensity for stem-end rots.
The Chinese growers on Hainan Island are concentrating mostly on Taiwanese varieties. These are good mangos, albeit mild in flavor. ‘Tainung 1’, ‘Gui Fei’, ‘Jin Huang’ and ‘Nang Glang Wang’ dominate the markets and the field. I know that on the mainland there are still many plantings of seedling mangos and Chinese selections, but here on Hainan the wave of the future rests with Taiwan varieties and western production systems. Their advantage is the early mango market on the Chinese mainland. Hence, they push their bloom earlier with growth regulators and fetch a high price.
There is interest in Florida varieties and the promise of greater yields. Later on we see ‘Keitt’, ‘Edward’, ‘Valencia Pride’ and ‘Haden’ in the markets, but these mangos are grown on a limited scale only. The overwhelming problem evident throughout the island is the production of seedless fruit that do not size up properly. And, if you remove one of the bags from the fruit for just a moment or two the fruit flies will move in.
As the conference comes to a close I am left with a great respect for our hosts and their honest desire to please the foreign visitor. China is a different experience for most in the west and this is reflected in the poor attendance by growers and researchers from the west. It is a shame that many did not come, for it is necessary to see mango production first hand to truly understand a country and China will one day be a huge market for mango consumption.
And so it is on to the north of the island for Yair Aron of Martex (Puerto Rico), Denis Roe of Birdwood Nursery (Australia) and Bhaskar Savani of Savani Farms (India) and me. We are taken by Dr. Li Wen of Haikou University and Dr. Gao Ai Ping of the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences. We search for mango knowledge and a better understanding of Hainan.
We head north along the eastern shore of Hainan Island to Haikou, keeping the South China Sea to our east. On the way we stop off at several mango orchards. The field practices are similar to those that we saw previously, complete with the heavy use of growth regulators and severe pruning. The varieties are ‘Tainung 1’, ‘Jin Huang’ and ‘Gui Fei’ and also a good number of ‘Nang Glang Wang’. This is the mango that we call ‘Ivory’ in Florida. As for the Taiwanese varieties they are monoembryonic and look to have at least some anthracnose tolerance. As we saw earlier on Hainan there is a severe problem with seedless fruit that do not size up normally. These fruit are picked, but they do not have an equal value to normal-sized fruit.
We stopped at several orchards and a small collection center/wholesale market in the mango area. Here the small growers were bringing in their harvests. Middlemen would then take the fruit to the markets of Hainan and the Chinese mainland. There apparently is a set price for specific sizes and quality, so it is not exactly a “free-market” of the west, but it is close. The people of the market were all interested in us and of course they wished to sell us mangos. The quality here was not that good, but the prices were cheap.
We drove north through rice, rubber and betel palm plantations (Areca catechu). The older Chinese still are partial to betel palm, although we saw only limited use on Hainan. The fruit of this palm mixed with spices and chewed, much like tobacco. This habit results in plenty of spitting and red-staining of sidewalks. It is not the most civilized habit that I have ever seen. Overall it was a productive and orderly countryside, but very little in the way of wild animals (including insects, amphibians, birds, etc). I worry that the Chinese youth will grow up knowing even less than Europeans or Americans about the wild world.
As we neared Haikou city on the north coast of Hainan the landscape changed. The soils were now deep, red and volcanic and there was sugar cane and cassava. Pineapple, black pepper and many jackfruit trees now graced the landscape. This was a more familiar landscape for me and I enjoyed watching the small growers work the fields. The jackfruit were used as windbreaks around the fields and there were nice quality fruit sold whole along the roads.
We visited an experiment station to see research on lychee and jackfruit and many “new” fruit for the Chinese. There were caimito and carambola, as well as Indian Jujube. It was the lychee, however, that received the greatest attention. This station was interesting and we spent quite a bit of time looking at the collections.
We went on the Haikou City and ate in a typical restaurant with Dr Song Xi Qiang of the Hainan University. The food was excellent, as was all of our food on this trip. I found the food of Hainan Island to be an absolute treat. Delicious and plentiful, I will need to go on a long and intense diet to forget my experience here in Hainan.
This was Bhaskar’s last night with us, as he had to return to Sanya before dawn to catch a flight for Hong Kong and back to the world.
We took off from the hotel and went to the Hainan University to see some of their work in preparing the future plant scientists of China. The department is well-equipped and the professors are eager for increased collaboration with the west. The university campus sits on an island just off shore from Haikou and is quite scenic. There are over 30,000 students currently.
We then went to the whole sale market. There are actually 2 markets, A and B, separated by a road. The idea is to facilitate the movement of fruits and vegetables to their respective destinations within Hainan Island and on the mainland. Hainan is not connected with the mainland, but it has a reliable ferry for cars, trucks and even a ferry to carry the passenger trains that head north.
This was an outstanding market. The fruits were as good a quality as one is likely to find anywhere. There was also a good diversity. There were many exotic tropical fruit, temperate fruit, and of course mangos. The mangos in this market were the most diverse that we had encountered. There were ‘Tainung 1’, but there were also ‘R2E2’ from Australia, ‘Ivory’ from Thailand, ‘Keitt’, ‘Haden’, ‘Valencia Pride’ and even a few boxes of ‘Edward’. As everyone knows the ‘Edward’ is a personal favorite. We paid over a dollar and a half for a single fruit and I took it home with me. I didn’t get to eat it until the next day, but it was worth the wait.
There were loquats, dragon fruit, atemoya, durian and so much more to see. The presentation in the market was simply exceptional. This was worth the visit. The Chinese really have a good quality mango on the market. After I finally got to eat all the fruit I had purchased, I must declare that it is a crying shame that we often cannot get good mangos in our markets. In Hainan you most certainly can.
We came back down the west coast of Hainan Island and passed through good agriculture land all the way to Dangzhou and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science. Here there was a large experiment station and research institute dedicated to fruit and ornamentals. They had good resources and we looked around. We were pressed for time and had to leave again for Sanya.
Before pressing on we visited the variety collection. They had 3 trees each of many varieties. Florida was the source of many of these varieties. They were highly protective of their collection, which I found a shame. We at Fairchild are open to everyone for genetic resources, except for a small number of proprietary varieties of specific breeding programs and of our own. When you see a collection based so strongly in material from Florida it is simply a shame to see a closed door policy.
The collection was well-cared for, but had not bloomed well this season. The trees were not treated with growth regulators and they were quite vigorous. The vegetative growth was simply too much. The western route back to Sanya was a bit worse in terms of a road. There was considerable more mango and some lychee along the way, as well as agronomic crops.
As we approached Sanya from the west we came along the beach and the Sanya version of Miami Beach. It was nice. Now, call me biased, but Miami Beach it was not. I don’t mean to be harsh, but there is only one Miami Beach.
We rested and took photographs the next day. I said goodbye to my friends, old and new and returned to the airport with a new perspective of mango and China. The country has come a long way. It is nothing like I saw in 2000. They are trying, adapting and have arrived in many ways. The mango industry in particular faces a number of challenges. The overuse of chemicals must be addressed, as well as the selection of new varieties, but China is a real force in mango. They are also building a strong base of mango consumption by providing their people with a quality mango experience. There are some 1.4 billion people in China and their potential consumption is impressive.
The Chinese people value the mango, they really do. Their eyes light up when you mention the fruit. I hope they do not lose this affection for the mango on their road to modernization. Laboratories and expensive machines will not build their market nearly as well as a quality fruit. I look forward to observing and participating in their future.
Comment - (4 comments)
For The Love of mangos - Africa
Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 03:47:09 PM
I had long dreamed of visiting southern Africa and the opportunity came to "seize the moment" and travel half-way around the world to observe another country's horticultural production. I was game to go and full of enthusiasm to learn about mango production in this part of the world. Thanks to our relationship with Westfalia and their kind invite I was now going to see their operations.
My flight started from Miami to Johannesburg, stopping in Madrid for transit. In Madrid I was stuck for 2 days because the airport was closed for the bad weather. Global warming is making it impossible to pass through Europe without getting snowed in. It took me almost 4 days to get to my final destination. I arrived in Johannesburg at 8:00 AM.
My first assignment was the genetic material declaration and the inspection for post-entry quarantine. It was quite simple. I was a little concerned about it, because of all of the restrictions South African has in terms of the importation of plants. Yet, my worries were for naught as I had all the paperwork required.
Dr. Johan De Graaf, a researcher of Wesfalia was waiting for me. The 1st plan was to fly to Pietersburg, but obviously I lost my flight. So they were very kind and decided to pick me up and make the next trip by land. It was better for me with another opportunity to see more of this country. From Johanesburg to the Ramalea farm took us about 4 hours.
We stopped in the middle of the road to deliver the budwood. A man was waiting in the road with a truck full of avocados ready to graft. He was to receive me and collect the budwood that I was carrying; the customs officials will be present to inspect the grafting and the quarantine process. I was happy to see the new avocados make the trip from South Florida and know they can be part of one of Wetfalia’s research projects.
I enjoyed the drive, discussing with Johan about avocado and mango industry in South Africa. It was a warm, partly cloudy afternoon. It was not as hot as I expected. The beautiful topography got my attention. I expected to see wild animals up every tree.
I arrived at the Westfalia Estate situated in the foothills near Zaneen. My friend Zelda Van Royer, a Researcher of Westfalia was waiting for us. Stefan Köhne, the Director of MTS welcomed me and offered to have lunch in the Ramalea guest house. Avocado guacamole, dry mangos, dry meat they call it “Biltong”, a South African delicacy, bread and juices was served - an hour later Danella Mostert joined us for dinner. Being quite tired I was then to bed.
Constancia Farm
Wed, Jan 13, 2010 at 01:49:39 AM
Breakfast in the Ramalea guesthouse consisted as usual of bread, butter and jam with yogurt and fruit juices. Then would follow the eggs and fresh mangos. I woke up really early in the morning with the song of the birds. In this time of the year it is light around 5:00 am. I decided to take a walk in the garden and enjoy the view. Woodpeckers visiting the Albizias and Acacias, and many beautiful African orioles complimented the panorama. This one had red eyes and bright yellow wings with black stripes and song a note something like “fee-you-fee-you”.
I noticed they have also planted a diverse collection of Encephalartos sp., Aloe sp, Albizia sp. and many Acacia sp. All present had a surprising respect for these cycads. I remember my conversation with Johan yesterday when he mentioned the role of the South African cycads in plant conservation and tourism. Cycads are protected in SA and whoever owns them requires a permit.
Driving though we started seeing mangos for sale along the road, and we purchased ‘Sabre’ mangos. This is a warmer and drier location - much better for mango.
Koos Janse Van Rensburg the manager of the farm was waiting for us with mangos. We tried the 'Honey Gold', 'Shelly' and 'Manzanillo' and shared with more of our collegues and discuss about their quality and flavor.
We visited the packing house where Westfalia prepared for the largest local market of South African mangos. This time they were packing ‘Tommy Atkins’. It also supplies directly to retailers and other local South African markets. In the mangos the fruit harvested go to the packing houses installed with mechanical packing line receiving chemical bath and hot water treatment. Then they are dried, waxed, and packed.
Then we visit the mango orchard. I saw ‘Keitt’ fruiting exceptionally well and with good color, but with sunburn problems. Sunburn was a significant problem. We continued visiting mango orchards, with an extended tour and discussion of the Constantia farm, with a mix of the same cultivars and some additional ‘Kent’. The management on this farm was impressive, with close attention to detail of pruning and care. The trees were quite dwarf and highly productive. They mentioned the rootstock they used as ‘Sabre’.
I went to see the picking, this time they where picking ‘Tommy Atkins’. Many hard workers with colorful dresses caught my attention. They belong to the Shangaan tribe. The Shangaan are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa, where they have lived for at least 20,000 years. This is very warm and happy people, I really enjoyed taking pictures of them.
Westfalia is trying to extend the season with varieties and we visited one of the research projects. Workers were picking and keeping records on the production of the trees, labeling and packing for post harvest evaluation. ‘Princes’, a hybrid between ‘Keitt’ and ‘Haden’ is an interesting red mango. It is late season, beautiful red color, and productive. Another cultivar they are evaluating is ‘Calypso’ from Australia, actually protected and patented. They were beautiful trees with an impressive production. The trees are small sized and grafted on ‘Sabre’ as well.
‘Shelly’ from Israel has a beautiful color and heavy crop in these trees - a little insipid for my taste but with a beautiful appearance. They also are evaluating ‘Nam Doc Mai’ even though South Africa is not much interested in yellow mangos. We discussed with Therese some of their preliminary conclusions about this cultivars having late lunch in a lovely local place where they made South African crafts. The owner made a tour and explained her social job for the past 23 years. Beautiful and colorful embroidering was made by local community supporting the artistic talent of children, woman and men.
That evening I had dinner with Dr. Johan de Graaf, who oversees all of the production on the farms. This was a bit awkward at first, partially due to my jet-lag and their quiet nature, but as the evening went on we had a spirited conversation about orchard practices around the globe and the costs of mango growing.
I was fatigued from travel, but enjoyed a chance for a good meal and a chance to better understand the financial makeup of the Hans Merensky Foundation and to interject information about tropical fruit trends throughout the Americas. Being quite tired I was then to bed.
Goedgelegen –Mango and Avocado Farm
Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 01:26:24 PM
It is early morning and I prepare for taking pictures of the mangos I collected at the Constancia Farm. The Ramaela house is a lovely place and my room connects with a long balcony with a beautiful view. I notice a rock in front of my window - I find that it is really similar in shape to Africa. I am intrigued… could this be the rock that the Senior Curator (Dr. Campbell) so often told stories? I will ask someone later if I was right.
Therese came to pick me up to visit the postharvest laboratory where her technician is evaluating the mangos. Internal color, size, brix, weight, size, shape, texture of fruit and edible percentage are some of the characteristics they evaluated. We discuss some of the problems of the varieties.
On the way to the Goedgelgen farm we stopped in town to check the local market. I was surprised by the prices of the fresh mangos (US$ 3.00/ 6 mangos).
Following, we visited a large avocado orchard at the Goedgelgen farm situated in the Mooketsi Valley, north-west of Modjajiskloof in a much drier and warmer climate than they can produce early season avocados and late season mangos.
Approximately 12.400 hectares are currently devoted to avocado production in South Africa. Export production is mainly to Europe with the remainder being consumed by the domestic markets. The majority of South African avocado production is confined to the north-eastern part of the country.
Mr. Jan Van Eyk, manager of the farm, gave a the tour of the property. We crossed the avocado orchard containing ‘Haas’ and ‘Fuerte’. 12% of the total avocado production is used for processed avocados for oil and guacamole uses.
The two avocados were highly productive, without any evidence of root rot. ‘Dusa™’ is their main rootstock which is protected by Plant Breeder's Rights. The major attributes of using this rootstock are to provide high yields and resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi, which causes the serious root rot disease in avocado trees. Also using this rootstock gives to the avocado crops more uniformity.
The export avocado season is between March and October. In this time of the year the tress are already full with small avocados. In South Africa, production areas are mostly in summer-rainfall regions. Most producers irrigate their orchards, but there are also a number of ‘dry-land’ (non-irrigated) orchards. Soils typically range from sandy (low nutrient levels) to high clay and organically rich. Soil nutrient levels are monitored to determine fertilizer regimes. Accreditation of organic orchards is generally carried out by international certification agencies such as Ecocert and BCS.
Moving forward to see the mango orchard we discussed about the weakening mango market. There were also extensive orchards of mango. We visited the ‘Keitt’ orchards spaced 6 x 1.5 meter. The trees were less than 13 years and still the trees are compact and small. I asked Jan how he can maintain these trees that size and how often he has to prune them. He said “I don’t prune these trees I just let them be”.
He only removes the stems after harvest, and those trees mostly don’t re-flush. In the best of the cases they flush just once a year. Climate, rootstock and environment combine to give this effect. They use ‘Sabre’ as a rootstock. Productivity in ‘Keitt’ on this property is normally 40 T/ha and has a record for this year of 75 T/ha. Unbelievable!
‘Heidi’ in the other hand produces a maximum of 16 T/ha which is not bad. All trees in general have serious malformation problems. This is a fungal disease caused by a Fusarium fungus, and they are controlling it well by pruning and removing the infected panicles. This and most of the orchards that I saw were intended for the local market. They also have ‘Princes’ and 'Calipso' in this farm.
They are close to the protected wild areas and have problems with the baboons stealing fruit. They chase them away by employing people with sling-shots. And yes, baboons prefer ‘Heidi’.
Coming back to the Ramalea house we stopped to have lunch close to some native dwellings and to discuss business.
I had a meeting with Dr. Stefan Köhne to discuss details about our interchange of the genetic material, and the mango festival.
Alan Snyman, Marketing Manager of Westfalia, and Luis Armando Llanos de Procesos Agrindustriales SAC of Peru joined us and we had an interesting discussion about the future of the mango industry. Luis came to Wesfalia to start a partnership with the company in the dry mango industry. I was so happy to learn that we are coming together for solutions to the low profits of the mango industry. Colombia is the other partner in this process to cover the demand of dry mangos for the months September through December.
I remain intrigued by the rock upon my return to Ramalea, so I ask Stefan about it. More specific, I ask if it was delivered to this place to represent Africa. He simply laughed, amused by another Fairchild plant explorer with the ability to see “Africa in the Rock”. I of course had a little help offered by those that came before, but this stone in the shape of Africa is symbolic of the Westfalia company and their commitment to the people of Africa.
 |
| Alan Snyman, Stefan Kohne, Noris Ledesma and Zelda Van Royer posing near the "Rock of Africa". |
I finished my day with a lovely dinner with my Westfalia friends.
Malelane – ARC Research Station
Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 05:06:10 PM
At 5 AM in the morning Zelda picked me up to go to The Agricultural Research Council (ARC), which is responsible for research on all aspects of the cultivation of tropical and subtropical crops in South Africa. They work on citrus, pineapple, banana, avocado, mango, guava, litchi, papaya, granadilla, coffee and spices, as well as pecan and macadamia.
We decided to stop by the ‘Princes’ farm to have the opportunity to see the original trees. ‘Princes’ is a mango selected and released by mango grower Richard Elphick and developed in Malelane, Mpumulanga. At the moment Westfalia is testing it as an alternative for fresh mango export.
We continued our journey and were joined by Mr. Chris Human – Cultivar Development Division in Mangoes, and Mr Arthur Sippel - Program Manager: Plant Improvement, ARC-Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Crops. They were waiting for us close by the entrance of the National Park. We visited the original mango collection where the genetic resources that I saw in this short visit were clearly derived from Florida material. There were other introductions from other regions to be sure, but their genetic base was rather narrow.
Mr. Chris Human mentioned that their research activities involved cultivar development. In their mango research they have been working on a breeding program using natural crossings (open pollination) and artificial crossing (hand pollination and caging of topworked cultivars). Promising selections from this breeding program were established with ‘Sabre’ and ‘Joa’ rootstocks. They have released four selections from the breeding program.
Royalties and patents are the new vocabulary in the modern word, but with mangos the overwhelming contribution to the world-wide export industry belongs to Florida. We have been sharing our genetic material since the mango started as a commodity. I am not sure that protecting the mango genetic material is a good idea. Mango growers around the word are struggling to survive in business and now it is the moment to share. The mango economy is so fragile. I do not think there is sufficient margin to pay the new costs. Mango variety is not the only issue than will help resolve the problem. The main issue will be quality, new markets, new products processing and partnership.
A little concerned about this heavy topic, we arrived late afternoon to the Kruger National Park where the sound of the jungle reminded me of the beauty of my job - to have the opportunity to share experiences in movement of fruit agriculture, culture and genetic resources.
Kruger National Park
Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 04:58:23 PM
In my journey I wish to take you into to an ancient land where elephants, monkeys and leopards roam. This is a land of temples, jungles, deserts, beautiful mountains and banyan tree groves. I had asked Zelda to arrange for me to pass the weekend in the Kruger Park. After our visit to the ARC Research Station we decided to spend the rest of the weekend in the Kruger Park.
We stop by the road to buy some ‘Sabre’ mangos for our adventure with the elephants and leopards. We were able to see “the big fives” all of the large animals in Africa. This even included 12 black Rhino, a leopard, a thundering herd of elephants, Hipo, scores of Zebra and giraffes.
I must admit that I was not prepared for all that I would see. It was in a word - priceless. I could not resist taking pictures, hoping than the giraffes like mangos as we do.
We meet Elizabeth Mganence, the Chief’s wife of LeuA-lygedlane at the park when we were walking with a basket of ‘Sabre’ mangos to the restaurant. She approached us asking for the mangos, she said “Those mangos grow like a weed” I was surprised by for the comment and she said that our mangos produce so much fruit like weeds.
This small mango for the standard of South Africa has Indian roots, carrying a spicy and sweet flavor.
It is a good mango to be eaten out of hand, and can sometimes fetch a handsome price. It has been widely used as a rootstock for the grafting of imported mango varieties due to the tough nature and adaptability to local soils and weather conditions.
It is time to return to the mango word in Africa. Crossing the hills to get to the main valley I was able to appreciate how the South Africans live with mangos. People were selling mangos along the side of the road, small sustainable farms and villages where the mangos is part of their lives. ‘Sabre’ is the most common mango tree in this part of the country, where they grow corn and other seasonal vegetables.
We arrived just on time to Wesfalia to meet with Louis Vorster, COO of the company and his wife to discuss about the future of mangos in South Africa and the business model for Wesfalia.
Hoedspruit Large Mango Farm: Packing house and Drying Fruit
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 03:54:16 PM
In the early morning, Therese Bruwer picked me up to travel to Bavaria Farm located in Hoedspruit about hour and a half from the Ramalea house. Hoedspruit is a lovely city surrounded by majestic mountains and natural areas where giraffes, impalas, rhinos and zebras roam freely into farmland.
Our 1st visit was to meet Johann Du Preez, General Manager of the Bavaria Farm who gave me a good overview about the company and the partnership with Bavaria. The Bavaria farm has 750 Ha and 200 Ha in citrus. Mangos that grow on this property are about 5% for export and 95% for the local market.
Then we visited the fruit processing facility, where they make dry mangos. I found this product an excellent alternative for the mango industry. The nutritional and health benefits of dried mango make it suitable for maintaining optimum health and it can also be included in weight loss programs. It is a good source of fibre and roughage which can help to promote colon health. It is also highly regarded as a source of instant energy thanks to its high concentration of carbohydrates.
I noticed that most workers are women in the plant. These hard working women dried mangos, starting the process by selecting mangos from sound, choice grade, succulent, ripened fresh fruit. Mangos are skinned, cut and dried, optimally controlled in a hygienic environment to provide food safety. No sugar is added.
We discussed test marketing of products with the International Mango Festival and made some preliminary arrangements for this. We finished up the day with a look at the lychee variety collection.
That night I stayed in Estelle’s house, and she invited me to drive though the natural area to see the sunset. It was beautiful to see how close the wild African animals live with mangos. We had a lovely dinner with her husband and Luis.
Hoedspruit Large Mango Farm: Nursery and Cultivar Research
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 09:20:59 AM
In the morning Estelle Louw, Entomology Researcher, took me to see the insect-rearing facility. The economics of rearing this single predatory beetle seems a bit questionable, but they have continued the project for years – interesting. They are evaluating internal disorders and disease control.
Then we met with Marius Bouwman and Cobus Verster the nursery managers that visited the mango production at the farm. The main season for mango in South Africa is mid-December to mid-May. They were picking the last of the ‘Tommy Atkins’.
Orchards are irrigated primarily with drip irrigation through high-pressure pipelines. Fertilization is managed according to leaf and soil analyses taken before the harvest season in November.
The organic orchards are fertilized with compost made on site. All pest and disease control is managed according to either a certified organic program or an IPM program. Pruning is done according to protocols developed through research and experimentation. I noticed problems with malformation and sun burn. The main cultivars under cultivation are 'Tommy Atkins', 'Kent', 'Keitt', 'Sensation' and 'Heidi'.
We visited the nursery, where workers where preparing for propagation. They use ‘Sabre’ as a rootstock. They harvest them mature on the tree and ripen them before removing the seeds. Happy ladies dance and sing stepping on the mangos to remove the flesh. They dry them in a dark room, remove the husk and plant. ‘Sabre’ is polyembryonic which means they can propagate up to 10 trees from 1 seed. They divide the plants and keep 2 plants per bag. At one year old, the trees are grafted with a cleft graft. They have also trees for sale and distribute them all over the country.
We also visited the composting area, nothing is wasted in Wesfalia. Mangos are used to the maximum. The best mangos are for export and local market, the ones with imperfection are ripenedd for drying and even the pulp-covered seeds are squeezed for mango juice. There are always some overripe ones for the vervet monkeys and baboons. The sunburned mangos are used for the achar industry. At the end of the day nearly every mango has a use with a few left over for composting. This is a time consuming operation than necessitates good logistics and a lot of labor, but it is worth it.
Sarie Mommsen, community Development Officer showed me the social project, where through education and training they try to improve the quality of life of their workers. Many of the workers live at Wesfalia’s farms, but also others from the community are welcome to participate. They have lovely training facilities with a toy library where the children come to learn and play. We visited some of the Creche or day-care centers. Babies up to 3 years of age receive care and 2 meals a day. Also they have pre-school children up to 4 years old.
The mothers come and join them for projects like glass recycling, sewing and candle making. The project is becoming sustainable and has been already been replicated in other farms of Wesfalia.
Therese Bruwer joined us to show me the living variety collection. I notice their multiple topworks on the field trees are moving up in height over time. They turned their organic mango blocks into research projects. Plants have been converted in other cultivars already 2 times. The living collection is actually managed as an organic crop. They pick most of the fruit for achar, and just a few fruit are left for evaluation in the cultivars they are interested. The fruit were fruiting well and were covered in caps to protect them from sun burn.
Their mango research program involves tree performance as well as pre-and post harvest evaluation of fruit quality. Cold storage trials are conducted on all varieties and post cold storage fruit evaluations are carried out. Furthermore, they are testing mango selections for several companies, research institutes and private individuals for certain promising mango cultivars for certain promising mango cultivars.
We drove back to Ramalea in the afternoon, and that night we had dinner with Louis Vorster, Alan Snyman, Johan De Graaf, Luis from Peru and Danielle.
Subtropic Vist
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 12:33:10 PM
Therese picked me up in the morning to meet Wilma Stones, Horticultural and Technical Advisor of SAMGA (South African Mango Growers’ Association). SAMGA is a non-profit organization to help the growers, consolidate efforts at marketing and create awareness of the mango industry in South Africa.
We traveled by car to visit the mango growers and members of the Tropical and Subtropical Crops. The road passed down the rift valley with a commanding view along the way of the natural wonders of South Africa. I grew more and more attached to the natural beauty of this country. We stopped by the road to get some mangos for the trip. They had ‘Sabre’ and ‘Peach’. In most of the rural areas, the locals appreciate these mangos so much, and I absolutely enjoyed them.
We visited some of the local growers in this area. Jaco Fivaz believes in a high-density plantation, so they have ‘Tommy Atkins’, ‘Keitt’, ‘Sensaton’ and ‘Joa’ planted at 3.5 x 3 meters. The key for this practice is pruning. He tops the trees every year after harvest and tipping is his best recommendation. The trees are 19 years old and look good, especially ‘Sensation’. To increase and improve the quality of 'Sensation' he selectively removes fruit leaving just one fruit per panicle.
We visited his dry mango factory, where many workers were peeling, cutting and drying mangos for export market. There are 4 more mango drying factories in the area, their main problem is the high operation cost, especially gas and electricity to run the ovens and the intensive labor.
Jaco and the rest of the mango growers are looking for new alternatives in terms of cultivars. In South Africa of course they are looking for red mangos, early, productive, consistent, resistant to diseases and with excellent quality. We discussed some possibilities, but “cultivar” is just one piece of the puzzle. The crisis in the mango industry is more complex than just the choice of cultivar.
The economic model of mango has to change; mango cannot be a commodity. Mango is a very special fruit, delicate and precious. Quality is the best way to compete, and to be able to get a premium price. Growers must have to open their portfolio of products and target different markets. Mangos are about passion, and customers are willing to pay for it.
After lunch we visited Johan van Vuren, owner of Jonkmanspruit mangos. We met him at his packinghouse. Many workers were sourcing mangos for export, local mangos and for the local mango product industry (dry mango and juices). Then we visited his mango orchard. Festus, the manager of the farm believes in water stress to stimulate blooming. He has very rocky soils. I was impressed by how good the ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ do under these conditions, perfect color and good production. It is a reason why growers and the mango industry have selected Florida cultivars in general around the word.
I got my lesson about ‘Tommy Atkins’ where the South Africans believe in it so much. They are planting new Tommy’s while the rest of the word is changing for new alternatives. The South Africans are clearly tied to a market that wants a mild flavor.
The Avocado Farm
Early morning Zelda took me to see the avocado orchards, as she said I could not leave Westfalia without visiting their avocado operation. Driving close from the Ramalea house she and I drove through the slopes and hills covered by native trees and waterfalls. This topography reminded me of my childhood. The morning was cool and misty, filled by the sound of the jungle and monkeys jumping trees. This is South Africa - the country of contrast.
Westfalia maintains and protects this natural area, boardering the avocado orchards. ‘Hass’ and ‘Fuerte’ are the main cultivars. The avocado production in Westfalia is an export-orientated industry, aimed primarily at the European market. They also produce for the local market. The majority of plantings since the early 1980's have been on Phytophthora-tolerant rootstocks. Some of the workers were injecting the old trees to control phytophthora. This is expensive treatment for the avocado grower that is why Westfalia develops the new resistant rootstocks.
They practice high density pruning to maintain tree size and prevent inter tree shading. They also practice spraying to control new growth. Pruning is by hand in the hills and they use mechanical pruning in the flatten areas.
Then we visited the avocado packinghouse. In this time of the year they do not have avocados, so they use their facilities for other crops. This time they were packing lychees for the local market. They have to keep their customers happy. Westfalia supplies to the supermarket fresh fruit all year around including avocados. At the moment they are importing avocados from Chile and Spain. There were some avocados from Spain ready to deliver for the local market until they have their own avocados.
We visited the nursery and the manager gave a tour to explain the propagation process at the nursery. The Westfalia Nursery is fully accredited and world renowned for the provision of good quality clonal root-stock avocado trees. All nurseries are certified; they use big nursery bags to raise seedlings. They have been propagating avocado trees since 1931. They produce about 25,000 trees a year.
The process starts by grafting the clone in a large tub, and then it is forced to root in a dark room. Then they are moved to the growth area to be grafted with the commercial cultivars.
The major attributes of this project are the avocado rootstock they use. They provide high yields and resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi, which causes the serious root rot disease in avocado trees. Given the choice between variable avocado seedling root-stocks and uniform clonal root-stock, the latter are the foundation of a uniform orchard.
Westfalia Nursery produces 'Dusa™' (Merensky 2')*, and 'Duke 7'; protected by Plant Breeder's Rights. They are the major supplier of avocado trees to the agricultural sector, producing over 100,000 trees a year. They supply avocado trees for their own farms as well as other growers, both nationally and internationally.
In the afternoon Zelda took me to the Polokwane airport to connect with Johannesburg and return home. Much can be learned from an experience from the mango growers in South Africa.
I give a huge thank you to Westfalia for the opportunity to travel and visit this part of the mango world. I met friendly and giving people that I will never forget. I loved the beauty of this country where the mangos orhards contrasted so vividly with the wild. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from your experiences. I bring back new ideas to share with mango growers around the world. We do it for the love of mangos.
Comment - (12 comments)
For the Love of Mangos-Ecuador
Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 07:01:07 PM
Curator Noris Ledesma travels to Ecuador to delve into the world of chocolate and mango along the North coast of South America. Follow her adventure through the country of emerald greens and ocean blue. She will immerse herself into the culture and business of cacao, learning the secrets of this ancient crop of the Maya and passing on the adventure to the Fairchild family. Few crops have such a rich cultural heritage or possess such commercial potential. Cacao farming of today is innovative, exciting and of course, delicious. Then it is off to the lowland coast and the land of the mango to witness the modern Ecuadorian industry racing to keep pace with the fast-changing world. Florida has had its hand in the building of the Ecuadorian industry through technology and varieties – stay tuned to learn just how influential our local mango community has been. It will be a long five days full of cultural adventure, where two crops of the ancients collide with the modern world in the shadow of the Andes.
Ecuadorian Mangos Fill the Mexican Gap
December 16, 2009
Despite Mexico being one of the largest mango-growing and consuming countries in the world, they have no local production during the October to December period, and this is when imported Ecuadorian mangos fill in the gap. Ecuador’s mango harvest begins during mid-October and ends in early February. In Ecuador, mangos are cultivated mainly in the province of Guayas, with has about 7,700 hectares in full production, of which 6,500 are dedicated to export. The remaining acreage is devoted to other markets, (local, Andean pact) or to the elaboration of juices and mango concentrate. It was this industry that I set my sights for the day.
Shortly after leaving Guayaquil we passed the mouth of the Daule River, and driving north for an hour we started to see the changes in land use. In the low areas you see rice, and then plantain, teak and finally mango. En route we passed the town of Palestina, whose people were getting ready for the New Year with their colorful “año viejos” dolls. About 5 miles from Palestina we arrived at our destination, the Pivano Farm.
Pivano Farm is 450 hectares with the infrastructure and technology to export mangos. The main varieties they have are ‘Tommy Atkins’ (235 hectares), ‘Kent’ (195 hectares), ‘Keitt’ (20 hectares), and ‘Nam Doc Mai’ (12 hectares). For mangos in Guayaquil they had already harvested the ‘Tommy Atkins’, ‘Keitt’ and ‘Nam Doc Mai’.
Manuel Jimenez, the Director of the orchard operations of Pivano, brought me to the farm. We stopped to see the harvesting of ‘Kent’. About 500 hard workers were climbing in the trees to pull the mangos out. Working in groups, they delegate specific jobs. One picks, others are in the orchard to transport the fruit and gently place them on trays to bleed the latex. Each mango has its stem cut with clippers and is drained of the burning latex. This allows for the marketing of a near perfect outward appearance for the fruit. Then it is off to the packinghouse.
Ing. Jimenez showed me with pride their ‘Nam Doc Mai’. ‘Nam Doc Mai’ is a Thai selection that produces yellow mangos and a few innovative Ecuadorians are giving it a try as a new product for the United States. The material for this orchard originated from budwood sent by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden a few years ago. It was a great pleasure to see the fruits of our labors at FTBG. Only time will tell if the ‘Nam Doc Mai’ can withstand hotwater treatment and long distance transport to the United States.
After lunch I had a meeting with Mr. Santiago Maspons the owner of the company to discuss the future of mangos in Ecuador. Ecuador faces an oversupply situation when competing with Brazil and Peru in international markets. Of the three countries, Brazilian mango growers are always first into the market, followed by Ecuador and then Peru.
Peru's mango production is 50 percent bigger than Ecuador's, but because a large portion of Peru's mangos are exported to Europe, the neighboring countries export about the same volume to the United States. Virtually all Ecuador's mangos are exported to the United States because of the fast sea transportation links.
After the meeting Ing Sergio Cadeno and his wife invited me to a reception for the launching of the new book “The Banana Production in Ecuador”. Many of the biggest players of the banana were there. A good time was had by all and another day’s adventure came to a close.
Hacienda CAÑAS, December 15, 2009
I came into the Gulf of Guayaquil, looking for winter mangos from Ecuador. The last time I came to Guayaquil I was 15 years old – taking part in a fieldtrip from the school that I attended on the border in my native Colombia. In those days Guayaquil was quite different. I remember the riverfront of the city filled with crafts of many kinds, and vessels from great ships to dug-outs, rafts, and cargo boats used by the locals to bring their wares from the interior to the markets. Today the city has changed; Guayaquil is now Ecuador’s "second city" (it is actually bigger than the capital Quito) and they don’t have the floating market any more, it is closed due to the big ships. Life goes on.
Sergio Cedeño has become a good friend and contact for the Tropical Fruit Program and Fairchild and he was there to meet me upon arrival. He is the president of INDUSTRIAL Y AGRICOLA CAÑAS C.A. and PIVANO S.A. He offered to introduce me to his company and their work with cacao and mango in Ecuador. We went first to the cacao farm, where they also grow banana and operates the biggest cacao nursery in the country.
Hacienda Cañas is about 75 kilometers south of Guayaquil, near the town of Puerto Inca. A highway proudly welcomes visitors to the region (at kilometer 26) with fruit of the season. In this case there were mango vendors lining the road, nearly a full kilometer dedicated to the king of fruit. They offer the best that Ecuador has to offer in the form of ‘Edward’, ‘Tommy Atkins’, ‘Mango de Chupar’ and ‘Reina’. We stopped, we ate and we learned. Long live the king!
Arriving to “Hacienda Cañas” I enjoyed Sergio negotiating the cacao harvest for today. A single phone call did the trick and 100 pounds of nibs were sold for US$ 144. During my visit I learned much about cacao and the profits of Ecuadorian farming. This is good timing for this experience, we are preparing for one of the biggest events at Fairchild “The International Chocolate Festival” which will be in January 2010.
The native Theobroma cacao type from Ecuador, known collectively as “Nacional”, is famous for its fine cocoa flavor. From the beginning of the twentieth century; however, it has been subjected to genetic erosion due principally to successive introductions of foreign germplasm whose hybrid descendants gradually replaced the native plantations. Thus, the cocoa quality declined.
"Nacional” beans give farmers only 0.25 or 0.30 tons per hectare per year. Small farmers with one or two hectares don't even produce half a ton, and that's not enough to survive - then came the new hybrid CCN-51. CCN-51, also called ‘Don Homero’ was named by the breeder Don Homero Castro, who developed it in the 1970s. While it isn’t classified as a fine cocoa, it is a vigorous, highly productive plant and is readily available to cocoa farmers throughout the country. CCN-51has a higher fat content (54%) is considerable higher yielding, more disease resistant variety of bean than any other national clones. That's why there's been a big shift toward planting CCN-51 which produces 2.5 tons per hectare a year. What an easy decision to make. Now all cacao farmers are replacing the “National” selections for CCN-51.
Hacienda Cañas has 800 acres of cocoa and they have grown ‘Don Homero’ for more than 20 years. December is not the peak of the season for cacao but I still had the chance to see the process from the picking to the final product. From the collection center, the beans go through the various stages of processing under thatched-roof buildings painted in rustic shades of green. If you enjoy chocolate you may have no idea just what it takes to get it all the way from bean to bar.
I’ve learned that cocoa production is not easy, it requires an organized path that the raw cacao takes to get all the way to your pretty foil wrapped bar or boxed bonbon in your modern country.
The cacao trees are handsome. They are from ten to thirty feet tall depending on the selection and the horticultural practices. The cacao fruit, which is bigger than an orange, grows close to the stem or trunk. Each fruit contains from twenty-eight to thirty seeds. The seeds are covered with a pulp that can be used for smoothies and drinks.
The laborers, working as a team, harvest the mature pods and remove the seeds in the field and then transport the seeds to a warehouse to wash off the pulp. The seeds are packed and transported for the fermentation process to a warehouse filled with the pungent aroma of fermented cacao beans. The fermentation is a really important process to guarantee the quality of the cacao.
After this process the beans are dried and shipped to the chocolate factories all over the world.
The day brought back good memories for me. And, thanks to record world prices for cocoa, there is joy all around the world of cacao. Prices are rising and are estimated to triple in the near future. These prices are fueling a revival of Ecuador's once-proud cocoa industry — and offering hope to the hundreds of thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on the tastebuds of North American, European and Asian chocolate connoisseurs.
Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 10:29:48 AM
Pivano and Tulicorp. December 17, 2009
In the morning I made a short visit to the fruit market close by the hotel. I was impressed by the clean and overall well-presented market. The mayor of Guayaquil renovated all the markets in the city last year - what a difference. The mayor also has been investing to renovate and create more green areas for the Guayaquileans. Many new and renovated parks bordered the rivers throughout the city; there was beautiful landscaping, open green spaces and in a word, quality of life.
Then it was on to the mangos and the Pivano packinghouse. This is where the mangos are received, washed, sorted and bathed in hotwater for export to the United States. Arriving at the packinghouse, I meet with Ing. Elsa Alsaro from Piura, Peru. She is a consultant for the Ecuadorian company. She showed me all the process and the challenges she is confronting to get mangos to the United States with the best quality possible.
The mangos in the Guayaquil area are under monitoring for fruit fly in the field. This monitoring is designed to reduce the number of fruit fly that infect the fruit. Fields are certified for export and only fruit from these fields are allowed to be exported. Even with the monitoring and certification the fruit must go through a hot-water treatment to meet USDA phytosanitary regulations. The fruit exported to the United States must pass through the Hot Water Quarantine Treatment to kill any fruit fly larva or mature insects. The fruit are submerged in 115°F water for about an hour. If done properly the quality is not negatively affected. Proper hotwater treatment is one of the biggest challenges facing the Ecuadorean industry.
After this, the mangos are polished, packed and stored at 50F to hold their maturation until they arrive at the final destination. Any fruit that cannot be exported (too big, cosmetic blemishes, etc) are sent to other markets, local or to the elaboration of juices and mango concentrate. The packinghouse is the key control point of quality for any export industry, for once a fruit is harvested from the tree everything must be done to safeguard quality. This is the challenge.
Before leaving Guayaquil I went back to the world of chocolate with a visit to Tulicorp corporation - a local confectionery manufacturer. Mr. Eduardo Marquez de la Plata, Marketing director of the company educated me about quality of chocolate. Cacao has been his life and he speaks from his heart. Eduardo loves cacao, this much is clear. “Flavor, aroma and color come from the soil than cacao grows, the essence of the land will express better their genes” he said. “Some varieties have better quality. The ultimate flavor comes from the combination of land, variety and the proper handling of the beans during the fermentation process”, explained Eduardo.
My journey in Ecuador finished, I returned to the hotel to write down my thoughts and to offer thanks to my hosts. I want to thank HACIENDA DE CACAO CAÑAS C.A. and PIVANO S.A., Ing. Sergio Cedeño and his team for this opportunity. This was my first visit as a professional to Ecuador. What I found was a business environment based on a love for the product. Cacao runs in the blood of the people of this region. The mango too has taken hold in these soils. The mango now works her magic on the people. Unlike cacao, the mango industry is struggling from a business sense. In the years to come we hope to help our friends to answer the challenge.
Comment - (23 comments)
For The Love of Mangos Peru, 2009
Thu, Aug 06, 2009 at 11:30:45 AM
The Curator Noris Ledesma once again delves into the world of mangos with an ambitious agenda of mango hunting and adventure to capture the harsh realities that the Peruvian mango is confronting. The Peruvian mango is an export fruit and Peru is the second country to bring mangos to the United States. Their mangos arrive around Thanksgiving, when other countries’ mangos are not ripe. Peru produces many Florida mangos, including ‘Edward’ for the local market where the prices were quite good, as well as ‘Kent’, ‘Keitt’, and ‘Ataulfo’ (from Mexico) for export.
Piura, Peru August 2, 2009
I am using the opportunity to visit this part of the globe that is performing an important role in the mango production in the world. I arrived in Lima without incident and awaited my flight to Piura later that morning. The morning provided a wonderful chance to contrast impressive views of the upper-most peaks from the Andes with deserts, tropical valleys, dry equatorial forests covered by algarrobos (Prosopis pailida) and trupillos. This is my first time in the dessert. In Colombia, we have the Guajira arid peninsula, but this area is less dry than the Piura dessert.
Piura is a coastal region in northwestern Peru. The area is known for its warm tropical and dry or semi-tropical conditions. The topography is smooth in the coast and rough in the Sierra. There are many arid plains in the southern region. The Sechura Desert, located south of Piura, is Peru's largest desert and one of the world's few examples of a tropical desert.
My friends Angel Gamarra, President of PROMANGO and his wife Elsa Lazaro were waiting for me at the Airport. We had lunch in a typical restaurant where local folkloric dances entertained over a magnificent spread. I had ceviche (a typical Peruvian dish of raw fish with onion in lime sauce).
In the afternoon, I walked around the city, ending up in the Piura open-air market, located downtown. I was hoping to find some ‘Edward’ mangos, but the beginning of August is too soon for this Floridia mango. Still looking for mangos, I saw a few, really poor ‘Edwards’. The fruit were harvested immature and they were using ethylene to get better color on the fruit. This is always the plague of fruit production, a price-driven lowering of quality that ultimately damages the market. At the market they mainly had some selections of banana, plantain, pineapple, assorted citrus, that are in season, asparagus, chilies, and papayas. There were also tamarind and algarrobo candies. The market was rounded out by fish and some household goods.
Piura, Peru August 3, 2009
Early morning we had a busy agenda of visiting mango growers. We started the day visiting Saturno SA located in Solsol, San Isidro. I remember in 2002, when I had just arrived at Fairchild, our friend Paul Barclay was in charge of the project and he came looking for the ‘Ataulfo’ variety. We distributed about 200 budwood sticks of ‘Ataulfo’ to him. Nine years later, they have expanded their production of ‘Ataulfo’ and have 125 Ha in production which will soon expand to 200 Ha with high density. They are keeping their trees up to 2 meter high and planting at 6x4 meters in order to increase size of the fruit. Saturno also produces avocado, paprika, and pepper. I was so satisfied to see the results of one single tree in our living collection turning into 125 Ha of trees.
In the afternoon, we visited a new mango operation. We visited Sunshine Export S.A.C. Miguel Wong, one of the owners, invited me to have a tour. They export more than 6,500 metric tons a year of fresh mangos to the United States, Europe and China. Their mangos come from their own farms and from small and medium-sized producers organized together as self-sustainable farmers, with organic certification. A few miles from the farm, we visited their packing plant which has capacity for 40,000 boxes per day. They have hydrothermal equipment which is required for shipment to the United States. This process consists of submerging the mangos for 75 to 90 minutes at 116F. The process has is approved by the sanitary authority of the US (APHIS). There is an annex to the packing plant which is the process operation. Here they dry all local fruit including mangos, pineapple and bananas. They also produce frozen dices for salads, pineapple, banana, papaya and avocado slices.
Tue, Aug 04, 2009
Over the next 2 days, we had the Mango Conference organized by PROMANGO. More than 350 participants attended including growers, members of the Administrative Committee, private businessmen, packers, exporters and the rest of the mango industry. I presented a talk on mango cultivars of the future the first day. The next day my talk was about mango consumers in the United States. The sections of talks were diverse, covering different topics of interest for the Peruvian mango industry, weather changes, the Nino phenomenon, anthracnose, diseases in mango, regulations, industry perspectives and alternatives. We had an intense amount of talks both days.
During the breaks we exchanged opinions, discussed different topics, made new friends and I got a new invitation. Before my return I spent my last day in the field. We visited the San Lorenzo area with 15,000 ha cultivated with mango. This shows the high importance of mango export production in the region. This region gets less than a half inch of rain each year, has salinity problems and it is hot during the day and cold during the night. The sector has a highly diverse structure in terms of farm size, farm type and socioeconomic characteristics. The area was dominated by mangos, grapes, and bananas and is set amongst a landscape of ancient history, tradition and modern realities.
Piura, Peru August 6, 2009
We visited Camposol S.A. the biggest mango producer in Peru. I was struck by their massive scale and the extent of the agriculture on the lower and middle slopes and dry arenales. CAMPOSOL is engaged in the cultivation of land and the raising, harvesting, processing and commercializing of agricultural products and fruit including mangos, avocados, asparagus, sweet peppers, artichokes, which are exported fresh, canned or frozen mainly to Europe and the USA. The company currently owns 15,500 hectares in Piura, where 400 hectares are planted with mango. Their main variety is ‘Kent’.
CAMPOSOL encompasses a totally integrated business from the production of raw material in the fields to processing in the industrial plant and subsequent commercialization in Europe and the USA. Their pruning methods are excellent. They prune manually keeping the trees 2 meters high. Due to the salinity in the region, ‘Haden' is the rootstock they use. I noticed incompatibility in their trees.
Organic mango production was one of the discussion topics during the conference, so I wanted to visit one of the orchards. There is a total area of 3,000 ha of organic mangos that are certified. After installation, maintenance of 1 ha of mango costs on average US $400 for an organic orchard, compared with US $1, 015 for a conventional orchard. Organic mango yields are around 25 tons/ha. For fresh conventional mangos, variable production and harvesting cost were 7 soles/box, while they fetched an average price in the city of 9 soles/box resulting in a considerably higher profit margin.
My journal in Peru is finished and I bring back good memories from the land of the ‘Edward’ mango and their people. For me Peru’s potential is clear in terms of mangos, the key is to enter to the international market with a high quality standard.
Comment - (0 comments)
For The Love of Mangos-Philippines, Thailand and Japan, 2009
Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 02:14:02 PM
Curator Noris Ledesma delves once again into the world of the mango with an ambitious agenda of adventures to capture the true spirit of the Asian mango and her people. In the Philippines she will take in the celebration of the mango in Guimaras to capture the 'Carabao' in her full glory. It is then on to Thailand for a photographic tour of the Bangkok floating market, Talad Thai and the orchards of South Thailand - her lens recording the subtle shapes and expressions of the mango and her people. Then she is off to Okinawa and the modern world of the dwarf, intensive cultivation of the orient. Mangos destined for the upscale markets of Japan and beyond. Ambitious yes, but she is equal the challenge as Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden goes to the orient for the love of mangos.
Manila and Davao, Philippines, April 14, 2009
I had long dreamed of visiting the Philippines to learn of the islands and to see the famous Carabao in all her splendor. My opportunity came when I developed a friendship with Mr. Carlos H. Mandujano, the Vice president of Dole Company. Carlos extended an open invitation to come and see the operations of his company in this part of Asia.
My first visit to Manila, and I was greeted by my first mangos - in the international Airport of Manila. It was a warm welcome indeed and a good omen for my visit. Early morning before breakfast I took a taxi to go to the Cubao open-air farmers market, located close my hotel. The market was small but with a good variety of products. There she was, 'Carabao' of good quality, offered by the gentle, smiling children.
In the afternoon I flew to Davao to meet Javier Mayo, the Manager of mango operation from Dole. We visited the packing house. Mangos are the third largest export crop in the Philippines behind bananas and pineapples. Yet, unlike those other crops, which are farmed on huge plantations by multinationals, by mangos are grow by local farmers who sell their production to the world.
Guimaras, Philippines, April 15, 2009
Early morning by land, water and air we travel crossing the Philippine islands to get to Guimaras to catch up with the opening of the Mango Festival on the 16th. Finally, after reading and hearing so much about the world famous Mangos of Guimaras, we arrive to the convention center. The king of the party was the 'Carabao' mango, arranged in perfect uniformity, this long and slender aureolin fruit rests in the shelves like golden nuggets.
This is their 16th mango festival, and it has been dedicated to the local community - all the farmers stop their work for one week to celebrate with mangos. All residents of Guimara and Ilo Island came to participate in the event. I went armed only with an appetite for mango lore and a camera for the taking of pictures. Once more I was warmed by the kindness of the Philippines and her people.
The event is supported by the government, and the island is a fruit fly-free zone for mangos.
In the festival they have the fruit market, artistic representation and local culinary offerings. It was a great experience to see how the people are proud of their mangos, where every grower claims to have the best mango - of course each is right.
Guimaras, Philippines, April 16, 2009
We meet with Dr. Yondre J. Yonder, the director in charge of the National Mango Research Development Center in the Island, to discuss about mangos, and with them we returned to the mango festival to see the Kids Day at the festival. Hundreds of children had their educational activities around her, the ´Carabao´ - the queen of the mango.
In the afternoon we visited a mango processing factory and a single woman trying to make the difference. Marina Guzman´s mango ketchup is extremely popular in the surrounding islands. She works from her home kitchen to produce the finest of products and proudly shows her certificates of health. Her children look on, committed to the struggle for a quality product. Mangos are considered as the national fruit of the country due to its several uses and rising importance and high potential both in the local and world market. Mangoes are eaten in the Philippines raw, cooked, frozen, preserved or dried.
Ripe mangoes are eaten out of hand or mixed with rice in a daily fare of Suman (Rice roles) used for important festivities. Rice is the base of the Philippine diet. Green mangos are used raw mixed with a vinegar and salt - I was immediately transported back to my childhood in Colombia. Mangos are used in the industry for candies, ice cream, sherbet, and baked products, while unripe mangoes (usually an Indian variety) are a good source of juice. The demand for processed mango is increasing, as seen in the proliferation of mango products in supermarkets and road side markets.
My journal with mangos in the Philippines is almost over, and I have to start my return to Manila to reach Thailand. I will carry with me the best of memories of this country, their kindness, and their passion by their 'Carabao' mango.
Bangkok, Thailand, April 17 and 18, 2009
The last time I visited Bangkok was to participate in the Lychee and Longan Symposium in 2002. As soon as I arrived I drank in the sounds and feel of the bustling streets, alive with the noise of car horns and commerce - the day-to-day of Bangkok. My friend Dang and her husband, mango growers nearby to the city, were waiting for me at the airport. We traveled 2 hours to their mango orchard northwest of Bangkok. On the highway I saw mangos for sale on the street, but they suggested going to the local fruit market. I gladly obliged, taking in the Thai countryside of rice, jackfruit and mango in its full glory. The market had good quality 'Nam Doc Mai' and 'Okrong Tong'. There were also 'Kheio Savoy', and a small local selection unknown to me. We partook in a few choice specimens in the afternoon heat, fully embracing the silky smoothness of the fruit.
We arrived at their farm with the sunset. The property is surrounded by gigantic tamarind trees that gave their farm its name. At the farm, dinner was waiting for us with fresh vegetables, fish with green mango salsa. The next day, bright and early we make a tour of the orchard. The farm is organic with some traditional cultivars, and most of their production is sold internally. Fruit were sold mature green and ripe, depending on the market and the cultivar. They had major problems with fruit fly, which they controlled by bagging.
In the afternoon we returned to Bangkok. I for one was full on body and spirit with the Thai countryside and her mangos - graceful and delicious at her peak.
Bangkok, Thailand, April 19, 2009
Khun Punlert, my contact from Dole picked me up early to go to the Floating Market. She suggested a different place that just the local people use. We took a short journey, arriving at our destination surrounded by mangos, jackfruit and coconut palms. This was a different side of Bangkok. We passed some middle-class homes along our river route with interesting gardens comprised of a wide range of fruit trees. Along both sides of the canals the banks were cluttered with wooden houses perched precariously over the waters' edge; always adorned with potted ornamentals of all descriptions. Most conspicuous were the ornate crown-of-thorns of all shapes and colors. The floating market was dominated by mangos in season, 'Nam Doc Mai', 'Kheio Savoy', 'Raet' and also mixed vegetables, rose apple, coconuts and sticky rice served as a popular dish with ripe mango. The recipe is different than in the Philippines, but just as delicious. I used this beautiful scene to take pictures for our book. It was a pleasure to get a quick glimpse into this most unusual lifestyle running parallel to the daily life in Bangkok.
Following lunch we went to the Talad Thai wholesale fruit market, which is reported to be the largest in Asia. The market is truly immense and focused on the large-scale distribution of products. The mango section was dominated by 'Nam Doc Mai' and 'Okrong Tong'. There were 'Kheio Savoy', 'Raet' and other minor cultivars also. All were of good quality, I was expecting to see fruit in display using the traditional baskets but the modern word has reached Talad Thai and changed them to plastic. Effecient and necessary no doubt, but through the eye of the camera it is simply not the same, but I know that I cannot dwell on the past.
Bangkok, Thailand, April 20, 2009
Early morning Khun pick me up to visit a mango orchard near of Panut-Nileom town, Mr. Su-vit Ku-na-wut is one of the best mango growers in Bangkok, he proud show his awards in his packing box. Some of the traditional cultivars, and most of his production is sold for export. He mainly has 'Nam Doc Mai #4' 'Nam Doc Mai- Golden', and 'Kheio Savoy'. They start to plant some 'Irwin' mangos to target the Japanese market. Fruit were sold mature green and ripe, depending on the market and the cultivar.
Su-vit was knowledgeable about the cultivars and the management was in general improved. They had major problems with fruit fly, which they controlled through a combination of baiting, sanitation and chemical application. Pruning is well adopted in Thailand.
All pruning was by hand and the tree height was in general less than 3.5 m. Most trees has bloom induction practiced using drought stress and paclobutrazol. In speaking with him I obtained straight forward answers about cultivars, unlike what I was receive during the remainder of the expedition.
In the afternoon we stop by the farmers market, Panut-Nileom is one of the oldest city in Thailand, and it show it in the arquitecture and their old style of life. I enjoy having lunch in a local place in town, where they served in the floor. I also coud't resist to buy some of the beuty traditional Thai banquets for the mango festival.
Bangkok, Thailand, April 21, 2009
Before my departure from this beautiful country, I visited yet another floating market to buy mangos and take more pictures. There are many floating markets near Bangkok; canals surround the city where the local growers bring their products from other villages.
Details make themselves clear to me on this day. The Thai mango is honed to a perfection of texture, a silky sweetness and simplicity of flavor here in Thailand. Mango has been domesticated in these lands for generations to arrive at her present perfection. Horticulturists have worked their magic of selection here in Thailand. Each variety has its own sense of place among her people. Her flavors are delicate and curves sophisticated. She, the mango is an inspiration to me and I will leave with a rejuvenated sense of her. Yet, my heart is heavy, for this land is an inspiration to the lover of the mango.
I want to thank Dole and their people for their support in this experience. I take with me good memories and images for the love of mangos. I travel to Okinawa- Japan and the modern world of the dwarf, intensive cultivation of the orient.
Okinawa, Japan, April 22, 2009
My friends Yasunori Hamada and John Yonemoto helped me out with their contacts in Okinawa. Takaaki Maeda from Jinnai Tropical Fruit Research Center and Hamada were waiting for me at the airport to take me to the hotel. Okinawa is comprised of 150 islands, where farming is molded to its subtropical climate. Agricultural crops include sugar cane, vegetables, flowers and fruits. Mangoes were introduced to Okinawa in the early 1900s, and since the technique for mango production using plastic greenhouses was established, mango production has been increasing year by year. Recently, mangos have become an important part of the Okinawan horticulture industry. The current mango production in Okinawa is about 1460 MT per year.
Our first visit in the m orning was to the Botanic Garden Tropical Dream Center. On the way to the garden, we stopped to pick up Inoe Hirotsugu, from the Agricultural Extension Division in Okinawa. They have a tropical fruit pavilion including mango, jackfruit, canistel, cacao, acerola, and many others. Their orchid display was absolutely impressive. After the botanic garden we drove to Uruma to visit Susumu Onaga, a pioneer mango grower in Okinawa. He started his grove in 1970 in this area. Since that time he has maintained his traditional way of pruning and managing his grove.
He belives in the variety 'Irwin', like the rest of the people in Okinawa. The rootstocks used are a polyembrionic type from Taiwan. They do not induce blooming, as it occurs naturally during the cool winter season. Trees are heavily mulched and intensely managed by pruning. He leaves two principal branches horizontaly to support the canopy for the rest of their life. This will provide light in the most eficient way acording with him. We had a long discussion about mango managment. The harvest season is in June and the average wholesale price of mangos at the Okinawa central wholesale market is 100 yen/kg. I really enjoyed this visit to see for myself how the Japanese have been domesticated Florida mangos according with their tradition and culture.
Okinawa, Japan, April 23, 2009
In the morning we visited the Fruit Research Center in Nagao . Satoshi Nakasone and Masato Matsumura made a tour at the station. I was impressed with the size of the trees. They are developing a breeding program, and horticulture techniques for the local growers.
The most important cultivar is 'Irwin' , but they also are testing other Florida cultivars such as 'Valencia Pride', 'Haden', 'Keitt' and others. The Japanese preference is for red mangos. Researchers at the station are trying to extend the season of mangos in Okinawa with greenhouses. Normally fruit is harvested when fully mature and is commercially available from June to August. This is the standard type. But other types are in development to extend the harvesting period from May to August.
In the afternoon we went to visit the largest commercial mango grower on the island. Mr. Yasukichi was waiting for us. Proud of his trees, he showed us his 'Irwin' mangos. He controls the temperature to have mangos one month earlier than the rest on the island. Prunning is his key and his 20 year old mangos have been pruned every year, removing wood to rejuvenate the canopy and have more points of production. They have challenges with thrips and anthracnose to overcome. Pollination is promoted by flies during the flowering season using fish and opening the green houses. In order to attain a full red color they carefully expose the fruit to the sunlight until they get full ripenes and can be harvested. The price of mangos in the early season is about 4000 Yen/kilo and it drops to 1500 Yen/Kilo in July during the peak of the season. The local mangos in Japan are very expensive, but they satisfy urban consumers by replacing the low quality imported fruit.
My time in Okinawa is finished, and I will bring with me a good lesson of horticulture, based in the Japanese culture that for almost one hundred years has been changing the nature of the mango tree, converting it into a small and productive expression of a bonsai Mango.
Thank you to my friends in Okinawa, where the goverment and industry support me in this experiece for the Love of mangos!
Comment - (0 comments)
For The Love of Mangos India, 2008
Tue, May 13, 2008 at 05:22:52 PM
Fairchild Tropical Fruit Program ventures back to the ancestral home of the mango - India. Our mango team Dr. Richard J. Campbell and Noris Ledesma the Curators of Tropical Fruit went to the monsoonal plains in search of the secrets of the king of tropical fruit. For 2 weeks in May, 'Alphonso', 'Kesar', and 'Dusehri' will become daily fare, treasured for their sweet, complexity of fruitiness and Indian spice. Nowhere on earth is the mango more cherished, or more integral to the people and their homeland. From the subtle secrets of traditional management techniques to timeless images of the mango and its people engaged in the harvest, the sale - the day-to-day of Indian mango growing, they will soak it in. They do it for the love of mangos, the thirst for knowledge and the legacy of David Fairchild.
Mumbai, 5 May, 2008
Arriving in Mumbai (Bombay) we were instantly transported back to the time of the Nawabs through the faces of the smiling men,women and children; at the same time we are struck by the progress of modern Mumbai, the construction and progress. A short rest and then into the field to visit Greenpoint Hillstation and Biotech Pvt. Ltd. Five hundred hectares of mangos destined for internal and export markets, they are faced with the same challenges that confront the mango everywhere – market, production, quality and an uncertain future.
A blending of old and new, we are immediately immersed in their daily struggle. Our two young friends bring us back to the basics, for in their hands the 'Van Raj' mango is not a commercial product of import and export, but rather a jewel to be cherished and passion to be indulged. The orchard and indeed entire countryside welcomed us, the coming of the mango season, and the monsoon to follow.
By afternoon we are off to Goa, a bit tired, but content in the heat and humidity with the hopes of fragrant 'Alphonso's that lie ahead.
Ratnagiri, 6 May, 2008
We awoke in Goa and headed north along the Malabar Coast to Ratnagiri. The Portuguese architecture along the route brought to life colonial times of centuries past with the modern veneer of Indian culture. As we rose in elevation within arms' reach of the sea, aged mango orchards appeared in their full glory. Tidy walls of rich burgundy framed the landscape, fashioned of a porous, local aggregate cut from the nearby ground. Circular enclosures of the same material surrounded each 'Alphonso' tree in an effort to hold on to whatever soil and organic matter that could be had in the Spartan surroundings.
The trees clung to the rocky slopes, their canopies the color of mimosa and their branches straining beneath the weight of the ample, maturing crop.
Unseasonal rains and the resultant fungal diseases plague the industry this year, as well as the persistent challenge of spongy tissue or internal breakdown. The region of Ratnagiri is active in the export of 'Alphonso' to the United States, using irradiation to protect the United States against quarantine pests. Clearly there are major hurdles facing the 'Alphonso', both within India and for export, but we wish our friends all the best in their struggle to provide the 'Alphonso' to the West so that the entire world can partake in its bounty.
*******************************************************************************************************
Devgadh,7 May, 2008
Working our way back to Goa, we made stops in Ratnagiri and Devgadh regions to sample 'Alphonso' mangos and visit the fields of progresive farmers. This day we completely immersed ourselves in the 'Alphonso', entering a world of rich honey-like sweetness and Indian spice. Orchard visits were both beautiful and enlightening in regard to fruit qualiy. The 'Alphonso' of this entire region is born of the monsoon, 250 days of sunshine, a spartan soil,and the infusion of the Arabian Sea breeze.
The combination is a powerful synergy of mango quality. The fruit born of these trees are the color of an Indian sunset, alive with a deep saffron and intense sweetness of refined complexity. Any consumer would be blessed indeed to have access to such a fruit. We spoke with growers of the management of the tree and fruit, the soils, the nutrition and the care. The orchards, even of considerable age, have a distinct calmness about them, that is, the trees grow slowly, scratching out a humble existence on these thin-soiled rolling hills. One could not help but make the comparison to a grape vinyard in the South of France; the obligate need for proper soil, nutrition and air quality. And, as with a fine wine, a fine mango can be achieved.
Ahmenadad, 8 May, 2008
We left the warmth and humidity of Goa and flew up to the much hotter dryness of Ahmenadad. These are a different people, unique in custom, in dress and in their appreciation of the mango - we had entered the world of the 'Kesar' mango. We drove west over a parched terrain painted green in spots by the addition of irrigation. Large, square fields of rice and sorghum lay fallow, awaiting the new crop. Women workers toiled on the rich earth, wrapped in stunning saris, bright with purple, greens and saffron – a simple elegance in a context typically reserved for the drab and disshelved.
The agriculture practiced here was more "western" to our eyes, that is, until a cart drawn by camel passes by.
We visited the extensive holdings and orchards of the Reliance Global Management Services. On the grounds of soon to be the largest oil refinery in the world we were lead through nearly 1000 ha of mango orchards by Dr. R.T. Gunjate, Vice President of the mango division. Dr. Gunjate's challenge was to convert these dry, salty lands into productive mango orchards. With an uncanny resemblance to the orchards of Israel and South Africa, the Reliance mango project is succeeding with the addition of cutting edge technology and de-salinated water. Yet, it has not been easy, and we are told of the suffering of thousands of mango trees due to saline water a few short years ago – it is only for the love of the mango that the company's president provides the precious high-quality water needed for success.
The result of the work of the Reliance group hangs heavy on the branches of the small trees, 'Kesar', 'Mallika' and a handful of other varieties destined for domestic and export markets. In the shade of the orchard we sampled our first 'Kesar' of good maturity. We were warned that they were not up to the standard of eating quality that our hosts are accustomed, but in these few fruit the gentle richness of the 'Kesar' came through. The challenge is to obtain, maintain and deliver this quality to the market. The bloom of this region was also unusual, ushered in much later than usual, perhaps due to a changing climate. Climate change was not our concern on this day, but we found ourselves all the poorer, as the harvest lie 3 to 4 weeks off. The Reliance orchards were an education and treat for the eye, but a definite tease for our taste buds. We left Jamnagar and the Gulf of Kutch for the south in anticipation of ripe 'Kesar' and a deeper understanding and appreciation for this productive and quality fruit.
******************************************************************************************************
Kesar and Gir, 9 May, 2008
This day we headed south through the Gir Hills to the heart of the land of 'Kesar'. This is the mango that India has chosen to lead the way for export to America. We visit a brand new packinghouse constructed for the packing and export of fresh fruit and pulp to the United States. Sitting within the administrative office of the facility we are treated to a 'Kesar' feast. The flavor is deep and spicy with strong influences of vanilla and Indian spice. The flavor changes dramatically among the different stages of maturity given to us for sampling. This will be one of the most important challenges to their success, for uniformity in our markets will be key. We visit a number of orchards, which are in stark contrast to the 'Alponso' region of Ratnagiri. Here the trees are growing larger due to the deeper soils. Production was poor this year, but we witness orchards with respectable yields. We are concerned about the increased pampering of the trees in the form of water and nitrogen and we stress the need for tougher love for the 'Kesar'.
We attend the 'Kesar' auction in the wholesale market. This is an experience indeed, where each farmer brings his harvest to have it auctioned to the highest bidder among the enthusiastic buyers. We try to infuse added energy into the event, but are only able to increase the selling price a few pennies on the pound. The market is a moving spectacle of 'Kesar', farmers and buyers – the sights and sounds are intoxicating. It is hot, the action is fast and the passion for the mango is everywhere in the faces of the people. In the afternoon we are treated by Bashkar Savani, our tireless and most resourceful host, to a game drive in the national park, where we get up close and personal with no less than 6 lions. The Asiatic lion is the proud symbol of this region, the last place on earth where this breed survives and it brings to mind the work of our friends in India, struggling to bring the 'Kesar', the mango of Inida to the Americas. With a perfect 'Kesar' in the hand, we are compelled to tell its story.
*******************************************************************************************************
Gujarat, 10 May, 2008
There once was a simple man from Gujarat State named Mahandas Gandhi; he left his village of Pordandar to unite a nation by staying a course of action considered impossible by many. Today in Gujarat State the people from the land of Gandhi struggle along a similar path with the cherished mango native to this region. We spent this day among the Savani family near the village of Mota Bhamodra, learning firsthand about the 'Kesar' mango and their quest to put this fruit onto the world stage. Theirs is not the story of hundreds of hectares devoted to the cultivation of mango, but rather a commitment to an ideal for bringing the 'Kesar' to America and the investment in community.
We walked the path of the 'Kesar', tasting the considerable potential of this fruit; as well as, the challenges.
The road to success in the modern world of import and export will not be an easy one, for there is little room for error. There are concerns of uniformity of quality that creep into our thoughts as we witness the excess soil fertility and use of water, such practices leading to mangos of shortened storage life and eating quality. The story is not a unique one, for with the mango, the struggle between tradition, progress and environment is a world-wide phenomenon. In the faces and actions of the growers we sense the resolve and the tradition of mango growing – they have a passion for their 'Kesar', and like Mahatma Gandhi, they continue along their chosen path to its ultimate conclusion.
We leave this region with a deep respect for these people who opened their homes and their hearts to us and provided a glimpse, however short, of the 'Kesar' and the struggle for modernization. We will wait with keen anticipation for the arrival of the 'Kesar' on the American shores. Only time will tell of their success.
***************************************************************************************************************
Agra, 11 May, 2008
Nearly 400 years ago the Moghul Emperors ruled over the lands of Northern India. Brutal was their reign, but the mango worked its magic on them and it was under their rule that much development was achieved with the fruit. Extensive variety gardens were planted and maintained in their care – one can only imagine the price paid by the unfortunate local that removed fruit without permission.
We stand in witness to the overwhelming power of the Red Fort and Taj Mahal. For the humble horticulturist, the Taj's grandeur is enhanced by the surrounding gardens of roses whose petals were used to flavor the waters that flowed freely within, and of course the culture of the mango that remains firmly rooted to this day. Centuries have passed and the rulers are long since dead and forgotten, but the blood line of their mangos grows on, flowering and fruiting for the people.
To understand the mango one must walk upon the marble floors and beneath the shadows of the ornate domes. The classic struggle of power, religion and resources continues to play out in Agra still today and the mango is still king.
***************************************************************************************************************
Lucknow, 12 May, 2008
We traveled from Delhi to Lucknow to visit the heart of the North India mango belt. The people and their customs transform yet again as we immerse into a new people and culture; yet, the constant remains – the mango. A young Dr. David Fairchild walked these paths under the shade of these very trees. He had a deep respect for the people of India and all that they have done for the mango, his memoirs often refer to the Lucknow area with a deep sentiment and adoration. We pass through many a small village on route to 'Duhseri', the home of the regal mango of the same name. The tree has an elegance all its own. Reportedly over 300 years of age, the tree has nearly a perfect symmetry, with its powerful branches still held proudly skyward. This relic of centuries past has survived war, drought and monsoon. The production continues, and the branches hang heavy with the weight of this year's crop. We cannot contain our enthusiasm and are compelled to climb among its powerful branches, transporting back to a time of childlike innocence in the arms of the 'Duhseri'.
The 'Duhseri' remains the dominant mango of North India, ripening to a mimosa yellow, with a saffron flesh bursting with the aroma of fresh citrus and berries. We visit a number of orchards and learn of the culture and production in this region. We know we will end tired from yet another long day on our quest to experience the magic of the Indian mango, but as David Fairchild knew well, sleep can come another day, for the mango now drives us.
Lucknow, 13 May, 2008
The final day of our grueling India expedition began in the local fruit and vegetable market in Lucknow. As we traveled the local markets of the country over the past two weeks we were schooled in a diversity of products unique to each region, and here in Lucknow, at the feet of the towering Himalayas, there were bags of bael, jackfruit and vegetables of all types.
The sights, smells and products of the market little changed for centuries, save the incessant din of motorized vehicles. The mangos in this market, as we found in Delhi were predominantly 'Bangnapalli', brought in from the Southeast of the county – the season was still 3 weeks away here in the North. Due to the lack of mangos in the market we decided to make a quick visit before our flight to one of the mango elders of the region. Haji Kaleem was flanked by his father Ullah Khan and 2 other elder members of the family, all in traditional dress for our visit. The scene was one lifted directly from the immortal journals of David Fairchild. We spoke of the mango, times past and the future that lie ahead for the king of fruit. When asked to reveal his favorite mango, Mr. Kaleem deftly side-stepped the question, explaining that to name only one would be a betrayal for all the other deserving varieties. So true, Mr. Kaleem, for this is like asking one to choose a favorite among his very own children. Love must be spread equally among all.
We walked among the mature orchard where variety and management told a story of tradition handed down the generations since the time of the Mogul emperors. Here 'Ashlul Mukarar', 'Sey Fasala', 'Samshul Asmar' and 'Gilas' made up a short list of heirloom varieties grafted rather haphazardly throughout the orchard. We took our time, taking in the unique aromas of each type, the essence of the flavors to come. It was a magical moment of mango discovery. Here on the northern plains of India the true essence of the mango was revealed to us by a humble man, a mango Holy man if you will. We will never forget Mr. Kaleem and his love for the mango and his passion will live on in the varieties revealed to us this day.
Comment - (10 comments)
10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables, FL 33156 • Phone: 305-667-1651 • Fax 305-661-8953
© 2009 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - All rights reserved • Site Map • 
Subscribe to Newsletter • Website by Illuminati Studios