Aussies warned to prepare for a mango shortage in the lead up to summer

Australians have been warned there may be fewer mangoes on the shelves this Christmas, with farmers urging shoppers not to be put off by potentially higher prices.

Mango growers in Queensland, which provide more than 40 percent of Australia’s supply, are facing drastically reduced yields due to a warmer than average winter.

Brad Bowen, owner of Sandy Cove Mango Plantation, said warmer temperatures led to low flowering rates overall, including popular varieties R2E2 and Kensington Pride which reported reduced yields of around 60 percent. .

“It’s a combination of a warm winter and a big harvest last year, but the winter this year hasn’t been cold enough to bring fruit to the trees,” Mr Bowen said.

“We are really worried.”

Based in northern Queensland between Bowen and Townsville, he said falling yields were likely worrying mango growers in the state, who were hoping for a return to normal after a difficult 2022-23.

Despite a “massive harvest” last summer, Mr Bowen said most farmers lost money due to an oversupply of mangoes.

“It drives down costs and people don’t make money from it,” he said.

“These are the years when you should do the best you do the worst. »

Even though lower yields could lead to lower stock levels and higher prices this summer, Mr Bowen urged mango lovers to remember that farmers also have to bear the costs of their business.

“We need retail costs to match the cost of the product, but we don’t make them unaffordable,” he said.

“At the end of the day, we need to be able to stay in business so they can recover and produce more fruit next year.”

The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology recorded the warmest average winter temperatures since, 2.32°C above average temperatures.

Daytime maximum and minimum temperatures were also among the 10 percent highest winters since 1910.

Industry watchdog Australian Mangoes reported that fruit volumes were down year-on-year in Queensland, which produces around 22,000 tonnes of fruit a year.

The most recent regional update from August 29 revealed growers in Mareeba and Dimbulah were reporting lower volumes of Kensington Pride mangoes year-on-year.

“The absence of flowers in some orchards at Kensington Pride has disappointed some growers for the start of the season as they should now be looking at a reasonably sized fruit set, but little or nothing has come of it.

“The R2E2s have settled in well, but their volume may still be a little down compared to last year. Keitts and Honey Golds are starting to flower well.