Now that the mango season for at least five types of mangos is here, the following is a rundown of what to import this season. Mangoes’ retail prices in European supermarkets after imports from the topics can range from 1.50 to 2 Euro per piece, using perennial figures. Even small mango types are quite attractive to supermarket buyers and go for similarly high prices. In this respect, here are the best mango varieties to source from Kenya at the moment.
Tommy Atkins
The fruit has been available between December, 2017 and January of this year. The prices are expected to go up with diminishing supply after mid-February. The fruit are noteworthy for their large sizes of 400 to 600 grams. Tommy’s color is an appealing red and firm skin when in the early stages of ripeness. It has deep yellow flesh when cut.
Kent
Kent enjoys the privilege of having two harvesting months, including February and March. The fruit is already in the market and its supplies will run up to early April, 2018. You can distinguish the fruit by its greenish-red and sometimes yellow appearance when ripening. It weighs more than Tommy, at 450 to 800 grams. Its flesh is characteristically soft and fiberless. The best time to get hands on the mango is when the supplies are still high since after April demand will push the prices up.
Ngowe
The local Kenya mango variety of ngowe has been available from November through January. The hardy cultivar enjoys widespread growth in especially eastern and the coast thus the three-month supply calendar. The fruit’s late season market period favors it as its harvesting takes place before Tommy and Kent are yet in the fruits market. This mango is distinguished by its slim long look. The fiberless but tasty variety is one of the key sources of processed concentrates and mango juice in the country.
Apple Mango
Also enjoying the same season as ngowe that runs from November through January, this grafted variety is your best bet if you want a perfectly round fruit. The reddish-yellow variety is usually one of the first to mature late in the season or end of the year. Therefore, it is a first consideration for the importer.
Kensington
As one of the new varieties in Kenya, Kensington is available during the mid-season, after March. Small-sized with a weight range of 250 to 300 grams, the fruit comes in a either red or yellow shades. It is one of the sweetest mangoes and usually fiber-free.
Van Dyke
Van Dyke is currently in season as it is usually harvested between January and February in Kenya. The mid-size fruit weighs between 280 and 400 grams and is usually red in color. The fruit is available throughout the mid-season so you can avail it during this timeline.
Haden
Another mid-season Kenya mango fruit is Haden whose harvesting months are January and February. The sizable fruit that has a minimum weight of 450 grams can reach 0.65 kilograms in size. It is usually reddish yellow in outer tinge.
Other in-season varieties of Kenya mangos include Keitt and Boribo. Keitt is one of the mid-season varieties that grows in the warm areas of the country. Its harvest month is March. Boribo, a major export variety comes in mid-season. It is also large but a little more filled up than ngowe. Its distinctive colors of a deep reddish-orange hide a fiberless flesh.
Thus if you are for Kent, you can avail it right now from the highlands of Embu county. Similarly, you can go for ngowe from Eastern and the Coast or Tommy Atkins, Boribo, Keitt, Van Dyke and Boribo from other parts of the country, as they are in season. These Kenya mangos thrive in mainly warm regions under organic growth. The National Farmers Information Service (NAFIS) recommends all of the above, especially Tommy Atkins, ngowe,, Apple Mango and Boribo for export.