Australian mango harvest in full swing in the tropics

Ripe, in-season mangoes are selling for as little as $2 per fruit. But what do low prices mean for growers in Australia’s north?

Mango harvest is well underway in the northern, tropical regions of Australia, with 500,000 trays already dispatched to markets.

Growers in Darwin, Towsville and Katherine have started havesting mangoes and the industry’s 2024-25 forecast anticipates 6.7 million trays will be sold between August and March.

Australian Mango Industry Australia chief executive Trevor Dunmall said returns for mango growers could be better, given the ongoing challenges of high input and labour costs.

“It’s a challenge, the most polite way of saying it is mangoes are really good value for consumers,” Mr Dunmall said.

Almost 500,000 trays of mangoes have been dispatched to wholesale markets across the country this season, with harvest still underway. Picture: Supplied.

“Growers would certainly like the prices to be higher, but Kensington Pride mangoes in most retailers are $2, with some other varieties a little higher.”

Mr Dunmall said he expected this season to track on par with volumes seen in 2023-24, “but it’s still early days”.

“The Darwin crop was compressed, and now Katherine growers are in the full swing of harvest,” Mr Dunmall said.

“There’ll be good volumes right throughout the season.”

Red Rich Fruits director Matt Palise said across the company’s five Northern Territory properties, harvest has finished, but growers in Katherine and Townsville were just getting started for the season.

“The weather was a challenge for most of the season, we were four weeks late and had lower amounts in September, but in October production ramped up and there were some very good quality Kensington and R2E2,” Mr Palise said.

“It was very hot and dry throughout winter and into the growing season, there was a distinct lack of humidity around the harvest period, and that means the fruit matures more slowly on the tree.”

Red Rich Fruits director Matt Palise. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Palise estimated production out of the Darwin region was between 30 to 40 per cent down compared to same time last year, but the promising crop out of Katherine could remedy the situation.