Sharon Nelson | Deja vu

I am having that feeling of deja vu when I see that it is another mango season and the fruit is once again rotting in our backyards. There is still another way for Jamaica to earn foreign exchange from mangoes. This way is to process and export the fruit and its derivatives. That is, to move mango production up the value chain through mango processing.

Guyana has recently published an agricultural prospectus that includes mango processing as an activity, and the document points out that the country’s agricultural sector presents a range of high-potential opportunities for investors. Mango processing activities range from inputs provision, production, processing and marketing as the country seeks to attract targeted investments in bankable projects within the agricultural sector.

Making reference to the market potential of mangoes, the prospectus refers to the country as an ideal agricultural investment destination. This is done against the backdrop of the agri-investment forum and expo recently held in that country. This document is available online for all investors to see worldwide. The document speaks to a tree of opportunities for investors, and that the country has a suitable soil for the production of fruit including mangoes, and that Guyana is the “breadbasket” of the Caribbean. The Guyana prospectus document lists the provision of the following investment opportunities in agricultural technology and farm service:

- Improved seeds, including GMO Production and assembly of fertiliser and fertiliser products locally

- Production of organic fertiliser and supply of organic pesticides

- Greenhouses and shade cloth cold storage facilities for meat, fruits and vegetables

- Dry storage facilities for grains and other agricultural commodities

- Advanced and small-scale agricultural processing machinery

- Software for productivity enhancement and commercialisation

- Agricultural insurance

For the year 2021, a figure of 15.21 million tonnes is included in the document for unprocessed mango with a corresponding value of US$22,664 and 3.32 tonnes for processed frozen mangoes with a value of US$13,899. Also included in the business listing are several manufacturers who handle both the raw and processed fruit. I should mention that Jamaica was also in attendance at this recently held agri-investment forum (however) I was not able to locate a similar prospectus for Jamaica.

In the case of Jamaica, we hosted our first agro-investment forum in April of this year and we are told by Dr Al Powell of The Agro-Investment Corporation that this forum was aimed at positioning “agriculture as a viable alternative to any other business, get stakeholders to realise their objectives in agriculture and for the Agro-Investment Corporation to help them along the journey”.

My question is: “What is happening to the mango industry” and to the mango processing industry for Jamaica? Mangoes can be enjoyed throughout the year through processing. With the emphasis on the development of value-added products, mango processing represents a viable option for our country. Mangoes are processed according to the maturity of the fruits whether green or ripe. If the fruits are green then they can be made into pickles, rejected green mangoes can also be made into green mango purée, green mango jam and green mango chutney. Before harvest, some mangoes may ripen earlier than others and on account of their shorter shelf life, the price of these mangoes in the fresh form may depreciate. However, their value can be increased and they can be made available for a longer time when they are made into dried mango, mango purée, mango juice, mango jam and mango chutney.

The option of frozen mangoes is possible, and getting to frozen mango derivative is a simple process after sorting, washing and de-stoning (the removal of the stone and peel) and this activity should be able to attract small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Of note, it is frozen mangoes that is carried as an activity in Guyana’s prospectus.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (2013) points out that the economic impact of fruit and vegetable losses is more severe in developing countries, and that food losses also create price volatility, and this impact is felt more on consumers in developing countries and reduces their export potential. It goes without saying, therefore, that this food loss is an economic loss to our country.

There was a time when two parishes hosted mango festivals, namely Kingston and Westmoreland. Two points are worthy of mention. In the former parish, the event was held at the Knutsford Park, now National Heroes Circle. The notable character, Father Foresight, Champion Mango Eater for the parish of Kingston and St Andrew, emerged at this event. Father Foresight was known to have the ability to eat more mangoes at any one time than anyone else on the island.

Event attendees looked forward to the stiff competition between himself and his challenger from the neighbouring parish of St Thomas. Second, in the case of the latter parish, the Delveland Mango Festival attracted many participants both local and overseas. Sadly, both events have not been held in recent years.

The question is: “What is the way forward Jamaica?”

Sharon Nelson is a Fulbright scholar – climate change food and water security, senior lecturer of agricultural economics Caribbean Economic Environment at The University of Technology, Jamaica and former programme director of the Economics Division. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com