As potential foreign mango buyers descend on Myanmar to check out the local produce amid a seasonal surge in demand, local growers say more education on quality control is needed if Myanmar mangoes are to gain a foothold in international markets like Europe.
“Foreign delegations are coming to Myanmar to test the quality of Myanmar mangos. We are in talks with them but we can’t disclose the name of the delegation right now,” said Daw Than Swe, Chairwomen of the Myanmar Mango Cluster.
Despite strong interest from potential foreign buyers, demand could be higher if the produce was up to the international quality standards set by Europe and elsewhere, she said.
“If the mangos meetinternational standards, there would be higher demand for quality Myanmar mangos from Europe, Russia and Japan,” said Daw Than Swe.
To be eligible for export to foreign countries, locally grown mangoes must be insect-free, and meet certain guidelines over sugar levels, weight and size.
“It takes two to three days to export mangoes to China and 40 days to export our mangoes to Europe,” said U Khum Tun Win, a mango grower in southern Shan State.
“More educative information about packing and storage techniques is needed for growers and exporters,” he said.
Myanmar grows 200 sorts of mango, among them Myakyauk, Sein Ta Lone, Ma Chit Su and Shwe Hin Tha, reap the highest price per tonne. The average price for a tonne of mangoes is between $600 to $1200 based on the fruit’s quality, size and type.
In the 2013-14 fiscal year, Myanmar earned $24 million from the export of 45,000 tonnes of mangoes, mostly to China, while 27,340 tonnes of mangoes were exported in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, according to statistics of the Ministry of Commerce.
Source: Myanmar Business Today
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