Peru expects positive mango season despite El Niño threat
Despite the latent threat of the El Niño weather phenomenon, the Peruvian mango industry is expecting a positive upcoming 2015-16 season. 
Peruvian Mango Growers' Association (APEM) president Juan Carlos Rivera told www.freshfruitportal.com many of the trees were currently in the flowering stage, and producers were expecting a good production year on the whole .
Rivera said while he was not expecting a record campaign like the one a couple of years ago, total volumes could still reach 140,000 metric tons (MT).
He added El Niño had so far not affected production of the tropical fruit, and growers had taken preventative measures in case heavy rains threatened the crop.
"Precautions have been taken to protect the industry's heritage and also the people," he said.
In terms of exports, last year Peru shipped 50% of its total production to other countries, surpassing previous years when 30% was the norm.
However, Rivera said the figure was difficult to estimate for this season.
He also expected strong development in the U.S. and EU markets in the future, as well as in nearby Chile where he said Peruvian mangoes were becoming increasingly accepted in the local diet.
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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