Mango growers count the cost when the price drops on the fruits of their labor

Tons of high-quality mangoes will go unpicked in northern Western Australia this year as prices of popular summer fruits plummet.
Key points: Some Mango growers have been forced to leave fruit on trees as costs outweigh returns The market has been flooded with fruit from different growing areas at once, causing prices to drop significantly On-farm costs have been exacerbated by the rising price of inputs, freight and labor selling for as little as $2 each in supermarkets across the country as volumes from multiple production areas hit the market at the same time.
Steve Angel runs Swag Rural Mangoes, WA's largest mango farm, on the outskirts of Kununurra.
He believes more than 400 bins of mangoes will remain nestled in the 120,000 trees of its orchard this season.
That's about two weeks of picking.
"It was an unfortunate decision that was made; it was just an economic decision,” Mr. Angel said.
“It was not viable to pick them, package them and send them to market ."
Why are mangoes so cheap??
Christopher Cope has been evaluating fruit and vegetables in Sydney markets for around 50 years.
He said mangoes generally hit supermarket shelves at a steady pace, with staggered ripening times in growing regions of northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory and northern Australia. Queensland.
But unusual seasonal conditions have changed picking times in some areas.

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Mangos are selling cheap across the country as large volumes hit shelves at the same time. (ABC Kimberley: Stephanie Sinclair)
"Generally, there's a gap between Katherine and Mareeba and coastal fruits in Queensland," Mr Cope said.
< p Class = "_ 39n3n"> "This year, there was not ::: P class =" _ 39n3n ">" This year is probably one of the worst years that we have seen for a while " said Mr. Cope.
"For that Darwin fruit at the end, you're talking about a dollar a tray.
"This isn't is not about the cost of the parcel or the transport or the packaging or the merchants and the storage and everything else."
Mr. Cope expected a raise...

Agrotech Dec 16, 2022 0 74 Add to Reading List

Mango growers count the cost when the price drops on the fruits of their labor

Tons of high-quality mangoes will go unpicked in northern Western Australia this year as prices of popular summer fruits plummet.

Key points: Some Mango growers have been forced to leave fruit on trees as costs outweigh returns The market has been flooded with fruit from different growing areas at once, causing prices to drop significantly On-farm costs have been exacerbated by the rising price of inputs, freight and labor selling for as little as $2 each in supermarkets across the country as volumes from multiple production areas hit the market at the same time.

Steve Angel runs Swag Rural Mangoes, WA's largest mango farm, on the outskirts of Kununurra.

He believes more than 400 bins of mangoes will remain nestled in the 120,000 trees of its orchard this season.

That's about two weeks of picking.

"It was an unfortunate decision that was made; it was just an economic decision,” Mr. Angel said.

“It was not viable to pick them, package them and send them to market ."

Why are mangoes so cheap??

Christopher Cope has been evaluating fruit and vegetables in Sydney markets for around 50 years.

He said mangoes generally hit supermarket shelves at a steady pace, with staggered ripening times in growing regions of northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory and northern Australia. Queensland.

But unusual seasonal conditions have changed picking times in some areas.

Want more local news? Sign up for ABC Kimberley's weekly newsletter

Orange mangoes in trays on a supermarket shelf, with a low price of $2.50.

"Generally, there's a gap between Katherine and Mareeba and coastal fruits in Queensland," Mr Cope said.

< p Class = "_ 39n3n"> "This year, there was not ::: P class =" _ 39n3n ">" This year is probably one of the worst years that we have seen for a while " said Mr. Cope.

"For that Darwin fruit at the end, you're talking about a dollar a tray.

"This isn't is not about the cost of the parcel or the transport or the packaging or the merchants and the storage and everything else."

Mr. Cope expected a raise...