Ecuagroimport is consolidating its Tango mandarin exports to the United States

Written and reported by Macarena Bravo | Lee esta noticia en español

Last year, Ecuador hit an important milestone with the country’s first shipment of Tango mandarins to the United States. The effort was led by export company Ecuagroimport, which is now ready to take a new step in its global expansion strategy during the 2026 season.

Santiago Latorre Ugarte, the firm’s legal representative, told FreshFruitPortal.com that at the beginning of the campaign, Ecuagroimport set an ambitious goal: to ship between six and eight containers of the citrus.

“Today, we are close to five containers. We managed to obtain the fruit quality we were looking for even from the end of May, but we still don't have the necessary initial volumes to leverage the commercial window that exists before the entry of Peru with the Tango variety," he said.

The first batch of Tango mandarins is set to leave port this week, moving up shipments slightly compared to the firm’s 2025 schedule. The fruit is expected on US shores around July 20. 

A bigger and better outlook for Ecuadorian Tango mandarins

Latorre noted that Ecuagroimport planted nearly 15 new acres this season, increasing the company's exportable supply. 

Currently, the firm has more than 74 certified acres of Tango mandarins, a project they started seven years ago to leverage the June-July commercial window in the US market. The investment has paid off—each of those acres produces over 30 tons of mandarins per season, which Latorre called “a very competitive yield internationally."

The first Tango mandarin shipment left the company with room for improvement, especially when it comes to post-harvest. According to Latorre, the main lessons include better management of water stress in plants, greater precision in nitrogen nutrition, and more rigorous monitoring of fruit acidity levels.

Commercially, the company also made adjustments after the first export, including packaging optimization, which will improve loading efficiency per container. 

Likewise, Ecuagroimport strengthened ties with shipping companies and international buyers, facilitating tariff negotiations and consolidating customer confidence.

"Last year, we made a shipment that many considered a trial. Now, we believe that the real test begins with these volumes. We have gained visibility and are already on the radar of important players in the international citrus industry," Latorre said.

Season expectations

Analyzing the current campaign, the executive explained that Ecuador will seek to leverage its productive conditions in the Andean zone, where low nighttime temperatures favor the development of the characteristic color that the market demands of the Tango variety.

"Ecuador is a world benchmark in products such as bananas, cocoa, flowers, and coffee. Now, new opportunities are emerging in fruits such as avocado, blueberry, and citrus. Our challenge is to continue positioning the quality of Ecuadorian fruit in international markets," Latorre concluded.

*Images courtesy of Santiago Latorre.

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