Additional fruit from the Northern Territory could see Australia’s mango trade with the US double over the 2016/17 season, according to ABC Rural.
Around 100 tonnes of Queensland-grown mangoes were shipped to the North American nation last season. The first consignment of Northern Territory-grown mangoes bound for the US is scheduled to leave Brisbane later this week.
Leading exporter Manbulloo is helping to facilitate the inaugrial shipment of Northern Territory fruit to the US. The company plans to ship over 200 cartons of Kesington Pride mangoes to the US in time for the PMA Fresh Summit in Orlando later this month.
“This will be the third year of exports to the US. The first year was just two shipments out of Queensland, the second year was about 10 shipments,” Manbulloo’s quality manager Scott Ledgertold ABC Rural.
Ledger said Manbulloo’s North American programme would also include shipments to Canada. “We have exported to East Canada through Toronto in past seasons and will also send some to the West Coast this season through Vancouver,” Ledgertold Asiafruit.
Manbulloo plans to send a small volume of fruit directly to Switzerland for the first time during the 2016/17 season. The company will work with its import partners to assess the market’s varietal preference by supplying both Kensington Pride and R2E2.
“We have exported to the UK and EU previously but not directly to Switzerland,” Ledger explained. “A potential customer from Switzerland approached us earlier this year and has excited us about the opportunity. They have strong relationships with retailers and the facilities and capability to manage fruit quality through to the retailer.”
