Posted by kathryn in Fruit

While stonefruit may be a problem this year, it seems the Northern Territory (NT) is heading for a bumper mango crop. Estimates are they will send 2.5 million trays to market.

Given that melons and mangoes will be in peak season at the same time, according to the ABC , there may be a shortage of the refrigerated trucks used to transport the mangoes down to Sydney (oh yes and other places too). In fact, growers may be forced to send their mangoes south in unrefrigerated trucks. While they will pre-cool the fruit and send them overnight, when the temperature is lower, this is obviously not an ideal situation:

bq.

The Horticultural Association’s Tracey Leo says it is high risk and will only be used as a last resort.

“We have predicted a shortfall of about 125 vans in the peaks of the season, when melons and mangoes are coming in, in their peak,” she said.

Mangoes are the NTs largest horticultural industry and generate $40 million in produce sales each year

04 October, 2006