Increasing Haiti’s mango yield

The Madame Francis mango is unique to Haiti, prized for its sweet and fragrant qualities. In an extremely poor country where 66% of the labor force is involved in agriculture, the mango is of tremendous national import and accounts for $10 million in annual revenue. It is however estimated that $25 000-40 000 is lost per 100 000 boxes of exported mangoes, as the produce fails to meet quality standards.

The majority of Haiti’s mangoes are grown by small-scale hillside farmers in rural areas. Once the farmers pick the mangoes, they place them in panniers which are then transported by donkey down the steep hillsides to the collection points. Workers then empty the fruits into flat bed trucks that transport them overland by rough road to Port-Au-Prince. Severe bruising and heat exposure result in significant spoilage, preventing 40% of the crop from being sold.

Sources:

Haiti’s Woes Are Top Test For Aid Effort, The New York Times
Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment
Fintrac

Photo Courtesy of James Morton

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