The mango production season in Panzhihua, Sichuan started at the end of May and is now at its peak. The seasonal varieties include Kate Mango and Jinhuang Mango, among which Kate Mango is the most exported variety of Sichuan mangoes.
According to Mr. Xu Tianrong of Panzhihua Xiguo Agriculture Co., Ltd, due to the good climate in the production area this year, the output has doubled or tripled compared to last year, and the export volume has increased accordingly.
Kate Mango
"Last year, the harvest was not good due to the cold spring in the production area, which affected the fruit set. The weather this year is generally good, and the mango production has increased by 2-3 times compared with last year, and the quality is ideal. This year, the production area also experienced high temperatures and less rain, which had an impact on the expansion period of fruits, so the mangoes are smaller than before. In previous years, a single mango weighed about 0.75kg but this year it weighed 0.5-0.75kg. But this may be a good thing because, in fact, this kind of mango is more moderate in size and more in line with market acceptance."
"Due to the increase in production, the price has dropped by about 20% compared to last year. Perhaps because the price is more competitive, this year's export volume has increased. Taking our company as an example, the current export of mangoes is about 600-700 tons, which is two to three times higher than the same period last year. The price has risen slightly in recent days, but the overall export price has remained stable. Feedback from the overseas market has been satisfactory, orders are being received one after another, and the sales trend is improving.
"On the other hand, the number of foreign trade companies that have purchased fruits at their place of origin has increased significantly this year, and many of them are new to fresh fruit products this year. This is one of the reasons for the increase in exports this season."
Xiguo Agriculture's export markets include Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, and Russia. This year, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and Nepal are newly added. In addition to cooperating with foreign trade companies, local mango production companies have tried to export by themselves in the past two years and have opened up more export markets.
Talking about the overseas competition of Panzhihua mangoes, Xu explained that although Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries also produce mangoes, the mangoes in these places start to go on the market in October, while Panzhihua’s mango production season runs from the end of May to December, and the staggered sales strengthen its competitive advantage.
In the domestic market, Xu said that the overall sales volume is good, but due to the large output this year, the sales volume is relatively slow, which puts pressure on the production area. In addition, after September, domestic citrus fruits will be launched one after another, which may have an impact on the mango market. On the other hand, the price of mangoes has dropped this season, but the cost of labor and agricultural materials has risen, which has narrowed the profit margin. Fortunately, the overall sales volume has increased, which has alleviated the challenge in terms of profits.
Panzhihua Xiguo Agriculture Co., Ltd. is engaged in fruit planting, processing, sales and wholesale, import and export trade and other businesses. It has built its own cold storage and packaging factory. The main products are mango, pomegranate, and dragon fruit.