Guatemala is expected to export 4 million cartons of mangoes in 2011, a 17.6% increase over 2010 when 3.4 million cartons were shipped, according to statistics from an exporters association quoted in local news website Prensa Libre.

Favorable weather conditions for the crop are expected, according to Eddy Martínez, president of the Mango Committee within the Guatemala Exporters Association. The National Mango Board in the United States has generated a 10% increase in the market in that country for the last five years, Martínez added, according to the website.

Martínez said that 90% of production is exported to the U.S., primarily to California, Florida and New York, where there are large Latino communities. The rest of the crop goes to European countries, including France, Germany, England and Holland, according to the website.

Currently 90% of exported mangoes are of the red Tommy Atkins variety, and the rest are yellow Ataulfo, the website said.

Photo: Prensa Libre

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com