There’s always been an annual demand for mangoes. The medium-sized oval-shaped fruit is quite a household favourite during summer. It takes three years to bear fruit and an extra three years to see profit, but mangoes are worth the wait.
A mango farmer in Limpopo, Khuliso Madima, shares her expertise to grow mangoes successfully.
Depending on where you want to grow mangoes, it can be a capital-intensive business, so Madima advises potential growers to do their homework.
“Get trees that are crafted by an authorised nursery. That will take two, three years to mature and then you can start harvesting,” she says.
A farmer will see profit between five and seven years.
Climate requirements
A mango tree requires quite a few things to survive. The first is a perfect subtropical climate and moderate heat.
Madima explains that a mango tree can tolerate heat, but the ideal temperature is between 24-30 degrees Celsius.
The best climate for growing mangoes in South Africa is found in Mpumalanga (Letsitele Valley, Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa, Lower Letaba and the Levubu Vhema region).
If the region experiences extreme weather conditions such as extremely hot summers and ice-cold winters, there should be methods in place to protect the tree from sunburn or damaging rainfall.
“The ideal climate to grow mangoes in is a subtropical region where black frost doesn’t occur. It also has good rainfall,” Madima says.
The planting season is between August and September, and the best time for harvesting is between November and May.
Climate changes also influence mango trees, causing them to go into early flowering which is problematic for the growth of the tree.
Water requirements
“For soil requirements on the irrigation process, it should have a slight slope. The texture of the soil should be sandy loam or loamy and must have clay contact of 15-25 degrees,” says Madima.
A mango tree is a non-water-intensive product. Irrigation only takes place when it is required, however, immediately after harvest when the tree needs to be pruned, there is a full irrigation process.
“This equals 45 litres per tree every two days. Because you have now harvested and pruned, there are flushes that come out,” explains Madima.
She adds that it’s important to monitor the flushes that grow on the tree. Once the flushes start to harden, then it is time to reduce irrigation.
Pests and diseases
There are a few pests and diseases to look out for. Essentially it is managed by spraying the correct chemicals and following a strict spraying programme.
Types of diseases to look out for:
- Powdery mildew: A grey, white powdery growth on leaves, flowers, or fruits. Growth is aborted and dropped from the tree.
- Bacterial black spot: Irregular black tensions on fruit which extend into the flesh. It causes fruits to drop from the plant.
- Green algae spot: Orange rusty spots on the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Can be treated by copper-containing fungicides.
- White mango scale: Scale insects suck the sap from leaves, branches, and fruits. The fruits may fall prematurely while mature fruits reduce in size.
Types of pests to look out for:
- Fruit fly: Predation of fruit fly larvae by weaver ants. Fruit fly maggots feed on mango pulp. Adult fruit fly-lays egg just under the skin of semi-ripe fruits, and maggots develop and feed inside the fruit.
- Mango hoppers: Insects emergence favoured by shady and humid conditions.
- Mango mealy bugs: They lay eggs in the soil near the tree trunk. The mealy bugs secrete the honeydew which causes sooty mould.
- Mango tree borer: They make circular holes in the bark – they feed on barks of twigs and chew green growing tips. Branches may be killed.
Challenges growing mangoes
There are some challenges you have to be aware of when growing mangoes.
The spraying process is very capital intensive yet very important, Madima says.
The farmer must be on point with timing for pruning, irrigation, fertilisation and spraying programme. If you miss the window, it’s hard to make up for it.
The market landscape has to be broad because once the fruit is ripe, it has to be removed from the tree. It cannot be kept for long once it is ripe.
The shelf life for a mango fruit is short so once they are picked, they should be packed, and delivered to the buyers and consumers.
Marketing process
There is a huge market for mangoes, so finding your market is up to you as a farmer. Madima says she found her market in juice and dry fruit factories.
She starts marketing the mangoes when it is green and sends them off to factories for agro-processing, Madima explains. Secondly, when the mangoes are ripe, they are directly sold to retailers or local markets.
“There are people who prefer to be resellers of mangoes. Contact them when the mangoes are ready,” she advises.
Tips for farmers
- Have knowledge about the different cultivars in Mzansi.
- There are different seasons for the cultivars so know what works for you.
- It’s good to invest in more than one cultivar for a good income flow.
- Keep the farm clean, hygiene is important on farms.
- Follow the correct spray programme.
- Do not leave mangoes on the floor after harvest.
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