Mango

Mango is one of the fastest-growing tropical fruit exports, with demand surging in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Countries in Latin America and East Africa are positioned to capitalize on this growing market, supplying premium-quality mangoes to international buyers.

However, exporting mangoes is not always a simple process. Despite strong demand, growers and exporters face significant risks, including unpredictable pricing, supply chain disruptions, and quality losses due to transit delays. These challenges directly impact profitability and financial stability for small and medium-sized producers.

Mangoes

Mango trade challenges

While demand for mangoes remains strong, market volatility makes exporting a high-risk business.

  • Unstable Pricing → Mango prices fluctuate wildly based on supply volumes, weather conditions, and shifting demand. A strong season at the farm level does not always mean strong earnings for exporters.

  • Market Power Imbalances → Large importers in Europe and the Middle East control pricing and dictate purchase terms, leaving smaller exporters vulnerable to sudden price drops.

  • Logistics & Supply Chain Risks → Mangoes are highly perishable, requiring fast transit times and cold-chain logistics. Delays in shipping and customs clearance can result in massive financial losses.

Without protection from these market forces, mango growers and exporters face serious financial instability.

2022

2022

In 2022, Kenyan mango exporters faced a significant setback when the European Union lifted an eight-year ban on Kenyan mangoes due to fruit fly infestations. While this should have been good news, the re-entry into the European market was chaotic and unstable.

  • Growers rushed to export mangoes, leading to oversupply and price drops in key markets.

  • Many small-scale farmers lacked the resources to meet stringent EU quality requirements, leading to high rejection rates and financial losses.

  • Shipping delays meant that many shipments arrived late or in poor condition, reducing export earnings.

Kenya’s Mango Exporters Struggle With EU Ban & Market Uncertainty

2023

2023

The 2023 Peruvian mango season was the worst in 25 years, with production dropping by over 80% due to unpredictable climate conditions linked to El Niño.

  • Farmers lost entire harvests due to extreme weather events, including prolonged drought and sudden temperature changes.

  • Exporters who had secured early contracts could not fulfil orders, leading to cancelled deals and broken buyer relationships.

  • Supply shortages caused short-term price spikes, but small growers did not benefit since they had no fruit left to sell.

Peru’s Mango Growers Face Worst Season in 25 Years

2024

2024

In 2024, Mexican mango exporters faced one of the worst price collapses in years, driven by a sudden oversupply of mangoes from multiple producing countries.

  • Global mango production surged, with exports from Mexico, Ecuador, and Brazil hitting the market simultaneously.

  • Wholesale prices dropped by 40%, leaving exporters with razor-thin margins or outright losses.

  • Many growers left fruit unharvested, as the cost of picking and shipping was higher than what they could sell for.

Mexican Mango Farmers Struggle as Prices Collapse Due to Oversupply

When Prices Drop, Growers and Exporters Pay the Price

Price instability is not just an economic issue—it directly impacts the lives of mango growers and exporters. Conversations with industry professionals have made one thing clear:

  • Lost Investments → Farmers invest months of labor, fertilizers, and irrigation, only to sell at a loss when prices drop.

  • Unpaid Loans & Debt Risks → Many small and medium-sized exporters take out loans to cover farming and logistics costs, only to struggle with repayments when prices collapse.

  • Shipping & Storage Losses → Mangoes require fast shipping, and delays at ports or in transit lead to spoiled fruit and lost revenue.

  • Smaller Growers Are Pushed Out → Farmers who cannot absorb multiple bad seasons are forced to exit the industry, leaving large-scale corporate farms in control.

The mango trade should not be a gamble—but for too many exporters, it is.

You Work Hard. You Deserve Stability.

You put everything into your harvest—your time, your resources, your future. But when prices drop, you’re the one left carrying the loss. It shouldn’t be this way.

At SAFTA, we make sure you’re never alone in the trade cycle. Our model protects growers and exporters from market swings, securing fair pricing and stable income, so you can focus on growing, not just surviving.

How SAFTA makes a difference

SAFTA provides stability in an unpredictable market, ensuring that mango exporters get fair prices and secure trade conditions.

  • Stable Pricing Model → SAFTA’s pricing is based on real production costs and fair margin (FOB+), not market speculation. This means exporters get predictable income instead of gambling on price swings.

  • Direct Access to Buyers → With SAFTA Plus, we connect growers with reliable European buyers, ensuring long-term contracts over risky spot market sales.

  • Logistics & Trade Support → SAFTA Standard helps exporters navigate shipping costs, customs regulations, and compliance, reducing unexpected costs and delays.

  • SAFTA Rescue → When shipments get stuck at ports due to delays or compliance issues, SAFTA steps in to resolve the problem, protecting exporters from financial losses.

By focusing on fair pricing, stability, and real support, SAFTA allows growers and exporters to focus on what they do best—producing top-quality avocados—without the fear of sudden market collapse.

SAFTA vs. Fairtrade: Two Approaches to Fairer Trade

Fairtrade and SAFTA both aim to support farmers, but they take very different approaches.