Mandalay mango processors are exporting value-added products to foreign markets, said U Kyaw Soe Naing, secretary, the Myanmar Mango Market and Technology Development Association.
Value-added mango products such as mango paste, frozen mango, preserved mango slices, wine, and dried mango are being increasingly processed and sent to countries that have signed an MoU with Myanmar — mainly Russia, Singapore, and China.
“Adding value to mango is helping us move beyond the domestic market and penetrate foreign markets. Mangoes from Paleik area were purchased and sent to a processing factory in Nay Pyi Taw. Value-added mango products were shipped to foreign countries by Myanmar GP Company. Mango paste is used in making ice-cream, ice-pops, and juice. We will see higher export volume after end-July,” said U Kyaw Soe Naing.
Besides mango, value-added products will also be produced from palm, lime, grapes, and other fruits, he added.
Mango plantations cover 250,000 acres of land across Myanmar, and 200,000 acres can yield 700,000 tons of mangoes, if the yield per acre is estimated at 3.5 tons. Myanmar’s mangoes are primarily shipped to China, and also to India, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Japan.
Mango farm-owners need to follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). They also need to obtain GAP certification. The Agriculture Department has established criteria for long-term organic farming.
In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Myanmar exported 50,000 tons of Seintalone (Diamond Solitaire) mangoes. The country aims to raise the export volume of Seintalone to 100,000 tons by 2020, according to online news released by the Ministry of Commerce. — Aung Phyo Kyaw/ Ko Htet (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)
