Originating in South Asia, particularly in present-day India and Myanmar, mangoes have a long and storied past intertwined with mythology, trade, and cultural significance (Britannica, 2024). The mango tree (Mangifera indica) is believed to have been cultivated for over 4,000 years, with the earliest references to mangoes found in ancient Indian texts such as the Rigveda and the Ramayana. In Hindu mythology, the mango tree is considered sacred and is often associated with love, fertility, and prosperity. Legend has it that the god Buddha meditated under the shade of a mango tree, adding to its spiritual significance (Britannica, 2024).

The spread of mango cultivation can be attributed to the ancient Indian civilization, which traded mango seeds and saplings along established trade routes to regions such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and eventually Africa and the Americas. However, the spread of mangoes globally itself could be noted as the work of the Portuguese explorer. Vasco da Gama is credited with introducing mangoes to Europe in the late 15th century after he voyaged to India. From there, mangoes spread to other parts of the world through European colonial expansion and trade networks. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mangoes were introduced to the Caribbean and the Americas by European colonizers, where they found fertile soil and favorable climates for cultivation. Nowadays the spread of Mango cultivation can be seen from the variety of species from different countries and continents. In 2022, countries like India, Indonesia, China, Pakistan, and Mexico are named as the Top 5 of mango exporters (FAO, 2024). 

Besides mango popularity among traders and travelers for its exotic flavor, sometimes mango is also famous for its medicinal properties. Mango contains heaps amounts of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Copper, Folate – B9, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin K (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Other than being an abundant resource of minerals and vitamins, the high amount of antioxidants and the anti-inflammatory properties of mango could help you fight cancer and other pathological illnesses. This sums up that not only delicious to eat, mango could aid you in protecting your skin, your gut, your eyes, and your health in general (Shubrook, 2023). 

Cultivating Mango

The modern mango industry is characterized by extensive research and development efforts aimed at improving cultivation techniques, breeding new varieties, and expanding market access. Cultivation of mango in Indonesia has successfully resulted in a few superior mango species such as Harum Manis, Indramayu, Golek, Manalagi, Gedong Gincu, and Clonal. However, in cultivating the mango itself, there are many things you should know first about the mango you are about to plant. 

First, you should know the location where you are going to plant your mango. They need warm weather and a good amount of sunlight to let them grow healthily. The warmer it is, the faster your mango is going to grow. Second, the variety of mangoes is also important because your climate and your soil may affect one species more than another. Thirdly, in planting the mango you need to be aware of its spacing, its fertilization, and its irrigation. Next, you need to be aware that once it grows, you need to do some pruning and also have good pests and disease management. Only with good care and management your mango trees give you a hearty amount of mangoes once harvested.

Harvesting Mango 

Once the mango bears fruit and starts to ripen, this is the moment you need to put extra attention to your harvesting agenda. Harvesting mangoes could differ from what you are harvesting it for. If you aim to harvest your mango for a local market, you might want to twist and pull a fully ripe mango that is mature yet still a bit firm. However, if you aim to export those mangoes you might want to pick ones that are a bit firmer and avoid bruises as much as possible to withstand the long journey of the export procedure. 

Exporting Mango and Its Products

There are a few steps you must follow when you want to export mango and enter the international trade market as a top exporter. First, if you want to export fresh mango, you must ensure your mango quality, from seedlings, cultivating, and harvesting to export preparation such as storage and pre-cooling. Next, you need to take care of transportation, as exporting mango, especially fresh mango is a perishable commodity. However fresh mango is not the only commodity you can export from mango. Mangoes have been enjoyed fresh, dried, juiced, or processed into various products worldwide. Here are a few varieties of mango products that could also be considered to be exported such as mango candy, mango jam, mango jam, and even dried mango. The added value of the processed mango could also help you in gaining more profit. 

But why export mango? Why not. Indonesia is a country blessed with many different varieties of mango, with around 400 varieties noted by the Ministry of Agriculture (2023). It was stated that in 2019, there were 1.2 tonnes of Arumanis mangoes exported from Indonesia to Singapore (PLI BCNR, 2019). In addition even another variety from Indonesia, Gedong Gincu, Mango is expected to be exported to Japan in 2024 (Wijaya, 2024). So, slowly more and more variety of mangoes is starting to be recognised by people all around the world. 

So what are you waiting for? Contact us Forin Logistics to begin your mango export journey!

Reference

Britannica, 2024. “Mango; Plant and Fruit” [Online]. In https://www.britannica.com/plant/mango-plant-and-fruit [Accessed 23 April 2024].

Cleveland Clinic, 2023. “Mango-licious: The Top 6 Health Benefits of Mango” [Online]. In  https://health.clevelandclinic.org/mango-benefits [Accessed 23 April 2024].

FAO, 2024. “FAOSTAT; Crops and livestock products” [Online]. In https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL/visualize [Accessed 23 April 2024].

Ministry of Agriculture, 2023. “Peluang Ekspor Mangga Indonesia Menjanjikan” [Online]. In https://hortikultura.pertanian.go.id/peluang-ekspor-mangga-indonesia-menjanjikan/ [Accessed 24 April 2024]. 

PLI BCNR, 2019. “PELEPASAN EKSPOR BUAH MANGGA KE SINGAPURA SEBANYAK 1,2 TON.” [Online]. In https://bcngurahrai.beacukai.go.id/pelepasan-ekspor-buah-mangga-ke-singapura-sebanyak-12-ton/ [Accessed 24 April 2024]. 

Shubrook, Nicola, 2023. “Top 5 health benefits of mango” [Online]. In https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-mango [Accessed 23 April 2024].

Wijaya, Pupuh S. 2024. “Ekspor Perdana Mangga Gedong Gincu ke Jepang 17 Agustus 2024” [Online]. In https://sumedangkab.go.id/berita/detail/ekspor-perdana-mangga-gedong-gincu-ke-jepang-17-agustus-2024 [Accessed 24 April 2024].