Darwin’s mango harvest historically low after 'strange' season for growers

The Northern Territory's mango harvest this year is complicated.

"In 35 years of growing mangoes, I've never seen one [season] like this," grower Saramat "Tou" Ruchkaew said.

"Some trees we've had to pick five times; it's been challenging, and of course the cost of picking has been high." 

Ms Ruchkaew estimated her overall crop was down 30 per cent on last year, but had heard of some other farms where yields were down 50 to 60 per cent.

This year's crop forecast for the Northern Territory is 3.7 million trays, which includes 1.9 million trays from the Katherine region and 1.8 million trays from the Darwin region, which is well down on previous seasons.

So what's happened?

NT Mango Industry Association president, Leo Skliros, said unusual weather this year had reduced yields, especially in the Darwin region.

"Darwin's crop forecast is down about 500,000 trays on last year, which is predominantly to do with strange weather and a late end to a large wet season," he said.

"The flowering has been very sporadic, very patchy, it's been a very strange year.

"Katherine is looking a bit better, thanks to large numbers of the Calypso variety [grown in that region]. It seems the weather plays more with the Kensington Pride variety."

Mr Skliros said some mango orchards around Darwin had already wrapped up their harvest, but might start again in November depending on a number of factors.

"I hope Darwin finds some more fruit. We've got some later fruit [on trees], which hasn't been calculated into the crop forecast, so we'll see if that comes to fruition and into boxes; that might change some numbers," he said.

"It's most likely though a lot of that fruit won't get harvested."

Ms Ruchkaew said her harvest would wrap up in a few weeks and then she would have to work out if it was worth picking some later fruit that was developing.

"We had a late flowering in August, and that fruit is now tennis-ball size, which would mean picking in late November," she said.

"If the quality is right, if the rain stays away and the return is right, then we'll go picking."

Mr Skliros said Darwin's crop forecast was the lowest in "probably 15 to 20 years" and Katherine was now on track to produce more mangoes than Darwin for the first time.

Prices still good

Mango prices have started to ease as the NT harvest ramps up, but prices are still reasonable for growers.

The Sydney Markets is reporting quality Kensington Pride mangoes wholesaling this week for $45 to $50 a tray.

Traditionally, that price will continue to ease as volumes increase out of Katherine and the Queensland mango harvest starts.

Ms Ruchkaew said demand for mangoes was really strong, which was great.

"With demand high and supply low, we can hopefully afford to pay our bills," she said.

Kensington Pride mangoes bought in Darwin today at a major supermarket were retailing for $3 each.