In February, the Mexican Association of Mango Export Packers (EMEX) announced Jose Angel Crespo as its new president. Crespo says one of his main projects is to develop a more accurate forecast system for the volumes coming out of Mexico.

In an interview with agriculture journalist Francisco Seva, Crespo said he is very optimistic about the potential that Mexican mangos have in international markets, especially in the United States and the European Union.

Mexico is the main exporter of mangos to the U.S., representing 63.8% of the total share of exports in 2023, followed by Peru with 13%, according to the USDA. 

Last year, Mexico increased its export volume to the US by 10%, reaching nearly 104 million boxes.

Fresh tropical fruits in general have shown the fastest average annual growth rate for exports among internationally traded food commodities, according to a 2023 market review from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

In 2020, Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Union that exempted practically all trade between the parties from customs duties. The Mexican mango industry took this opportunity to boost exports to that market. 

“The United States and the European Union are two markets with enormous potential for consumption growth in the coming years. The Asian market, with Japan and South Korea, as well as Oceania and the Middle East, are also attractive markets where we can grow more and position ourselves better, commercially speaking," Crespo said. 

Fresh-cut mangos in the US, he added, are a big part of the growth of the Mexican industry. 

“The strategy of having cut fruit on the shelves has increased demand because consumers have an easier time consuming and enjoying them," he said.

Organic mangos: Consumption to continue growing

Organic mangos are also poised to grow as a category, Crespo explained, in part due to consumer consciousness. 

"The Mexican organic mango sector continues to grow, generating both environmental and sustainable benefits. Currently, consumers are very conscious about organic food,” he said.

“Fortunately, in Mexico, we have the advantage of having many farmers who have a great knowledge of good management practices. Therefore, there is a great development opportunity for organic mangoes to continue growing in our country in the short and medium term."

Crespo also emphasized that "we have a great challenge in our industry today, which is climate change; today it is complicated to predict rainfall, droughts, and the size of our fruit.”

Greater promotion and dissemination of EMEX brand

Another of the organization’s major projects is the MANGO EMEX quality brand. 

"Without a doubt, this brand will give us greater differentiation for our mangos in international markets,” Crespo said. “So, we want to show it off much more and publicize it so that it becomes better known. We want to position it very well at the international level. We believe it will be very well received by buyers.”

In 2019, EMEX announced the creation of the EMEX quality collective brand, which is used by industry members to meet the requirements of quality, safety, social responsibility, and sustainability.