Mexico produced more than 2.23 million tonnes of mangoes between January and November 2023, up from 2.16 million tonnes in the same period of 2022, and setting a record for annual production.
The Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (Sader) highlighted that the sector had seen sustained growth of around 39% over the last ten years, largely driven by increased areas allocated to mango cultivation.
Between 2022 and 2023, mango cultivation areas in Mexico increased by 5%, from 208,994 to 219,452 hectares, while average yield grew from 10.83 to 10.85 tonnes per hectare. Around 80% of Mexican mangoes are harvested between April and August, according to Sader’s data.
“As Mexico is a world power producer of the fruit, with a high capacity for mobilization, it also makes the largest shipments abroad during those months,” the ministry said.
Sader also highlighted that better systems implemented by the National Service of Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica) are helping more fruit reach the market.
Mangoes are cultivated in 23 Mexican states, but just five states account for 76% of national production. Sinaloa led the way, producing 475,324 tonnes in the first 11 months of 2023, followed by Guerrero with 417,209 tonnes, Nayarit with 323,117 tonnes, Chiapas with 272,151 tonnes, and Oaxaca with 213,960 tonnes.
Native to southeast Asia, mangoes were first introduced to Mexico by the Spanish in the 16th century, and proved well-suited to the local soils and climate. Today, Mexico ranks fifth in global mango production, with 14 different breeds cultivated in the country. The most popular is the sweet, yellow Ataúlfo mango, which was originally bred by agronomist Ataúlfo Morales in Soconusco, Chiapas.
Mango is ubiquitous in Mexican cuisine, flavoring everything from ceviche to salsas to cocktails. But it is typically eaten fresh, often seasoned with lime and chili. Sader estimates that Mexicans consume an average of 13 kilos of mango per person per year, and mangoes account for 9% of national fruit production.
With reports from Forbes
