No madness in these mango methods
The Territory’s mango industry is ensuring it’s at the forefront of the sector by applying the latest growing, picking and protection techniques.
Trials are underway to grow fruit on trellises to make picking easier and safer, and producers are also investigating how to use artificial intelligence to protect crops from pests.
NT Farmers Association chief executive Paul Burke says growers are always keen to explore the latest developments.
“The industry has always been innovative,” he said. “Growers are always looking for a competitive edge.”
The industry had humble beginnings in the 1980s with a turnover of less than $100,000. The past 4 decades have seen an explosion of growth. The Territory’s mango industry is now worth more than $120 million a year and is the largest mango producing jurisdiction in Australia, accounting for 52 percent of the national harvest.
Paul credits the extraordinary growth to the innovation of growers.
“Top End mangoes are the first to hit the market because they are the first in Australia to ripen, which allows them to command premium prices,” he said.
In the early 2000s, the Territory Government and industry worked on developing crop forecasting models, which means growers can plan for harvests, labour needs, packaging, transport and marketing.
The industry has also been involved in extensive trials of new mango varieties, which helps to diversify market offerings and strengthen the overall health of the sector. A wide range of NT-grown mangoes are now available, such as Calypso, Honey Gold, R2E2 and Bowen, plus green mango varieties.
Picking machinery has been modified to suit NT conditions and tree sizes, while packaging boxes have been redesigned to stop them sliding and damaging to the fruit. The new boxes save hundreds of hours in worker time to assemble, and their ventilation allows for faster mango cooling times. This ensures the best quality fruit arriving in its market being presented to consumers in the southern markets.
The NT Mango Industry Association, the NT Farmer’s Association and the Northern Territory Government have also completed vital work on quality assurance systems for the industry to help build the NT's reputation as the leading provider of high-quality mangoes.
Other innovations included the widespread adoption of near infrared dry matter testing, which allow growers to accurately assess the maturity of mangoes in the field and packing shed.
Satellite based mango yield prediction is yet another development that can forecast the fruit variability and volume well in advance to aid growers in organizing harvest logistics and forward marketing.
To find out more about the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade’s current partnerships and research activities with mango growers, head to the website: Mangoes - Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.