Australia produces an average of 60,000 tonnes of mangoes per annum, with the season starting mid September and extending through until mid April. The juicy and uniquely flavoured Kensington Pride mango is the main variety produced in Australia, followed by the R2E2, Keitt, Kent, Palmer and Brooks.

Grown throughout the lush, green sub-tropical and tropical regions of Australia, the major production areas are in Queensland, northern New South Wales, the Northern Territories and Western Australia.

Production regions include Gin Gin, Carnarvon and Kununurra in Western Australia; Darwin and Katherine in the Northern Territory; Mareeba / Dimbulah, the Burdekin, Bowen, Rockhampton / Yeppoon, Bundaberg, Gympie and the Lockyer Valley in Queensland; and northern New South Wales.

Mangoes are to an extent biennial bearers of fruit, although the production trend for the Australian industry is estimated to be increasing at approximately 8% per year.

The mango season runs from late September to April, and during this time your customers can enjoy various varieties of mangoes.

The main variety you will find early in the season is the Kensington Pride, which is also known as the Bowen and has a sweet tangy flavour with an orange to red blush. The R2E2 is another popular early season variety, with a deep, orange-red blush and long shelf life.

A newer variety also available early in the season is the Calypso, which has a particularly firm flesh, with a deep orange blush and a full, sweet flavour.

STORAGE TIPS FOR MANGOES TO PASS ON TO YOUR CUSTOMERS:

• Unripe mangoes should never be refrigerated. Store them out of direct sunlight at room temperature for a few days until they ripen.
• Once ripe, they can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days before use.
• Mangoes need to breathe - so never store in plastic bags.
• Mangoes freeze really well. They can be sliced and bagged, or pureed and placed into ice cube trays.

Table 2 Mango Availability by Variety - fresh supply only

Kensington Pride A medium-sized, soft, sweet fruit with golden flesh and a rich orange skin, often with a pink-red blush. KP’s are available all summer. Also sometimes known as the Bowen, Bowen Special or Kensington.

R2E2 A large round fruit, with firm flesh and a milder flavour. The skin has an orange-red blush and the flesh is a beautiful lemon-yellow colour. Excellent for slicing into salads and salsas. It’s a mid to late season variety.

Keitt Large and firm like the R2E2, but has a longer shaped body like the KP. It has sweet lemon-yellow flesh and develops a red-pink, sometimes bronze-like blush. Keitt’s are available from late-January through until early April.

Table 3 Mango Major Growing Regions

Table 4 Mango Packaging

Packaging

Australian mangoes are packed and exported in 5kg or 7kg trays.

Speak to your exporter regarding special needs.