Mango varieties farmers should consider for orchard
With the increasing number of juice companies in Nigeria, orchard farmers will reap lots of benefits if the federal government implements a total ban on the importation of concentrates and other packaged juice products into the country. Many farmers are raising orchard farms in the country with different varieties of mangoes for them to consider. […]
With the increasing number of juice companies in Nigeria, orchard farmers will reap lots of benefits if the federal government implements a total ban on the importation of concentrates and other packaged juice products into the country.
Many farmers are raising orchard farms in the country with different varieties of mangoes for them to consider. Most of these varieties are also available in some commercial farms in the country.
Already, a commercial farm in Kaduna has over 69,000 mango seedlings of different varieties in their farms for sale to farmers and their juice production project.
The following are some of the notable top varieties cultivated around the world that might interest farmers:
Tommy Atkins
Tommy Atkins is a mango cultivar; it is the world’s most-valued and commercially traded mango because it has a very long shelf life and tolerance of handling and transportation with little or no bruising or degradation.
The variety, however, may not be considered by many as the best if you are looking for sweetness and flavor.
Michael Kajue, a fruits expert in Kaduna State, said most commercial farmers liked it for juice production. In overseas, exporters like it because it has a better market in the USA and Britain because of its long shelf life.
Keitt
For a farmer looking for superior taste, Keitt is what he is looking for. It is described as one of the most superior mango varieties because of its taste and other beneficial properties. Its harvest time is June and September. The variety is also notable for disease resistance. Apart from these, Keitt mango variety has other added advantages which include high yield and ripening time. Long cultivation season and productivity make this variety of mango one of the most popular among all other types.
Sindhri (Honey mango)
Sindhri, a variety of mango also known as “Honey Mango” is extremely sweet and has fantastic flavour. It is described as the national fruit of Pakistan. This mango is sharply elongated in shape and has a pointed curve.
The challenge with this variety is that when ripe, it cannot be stored for more than two to three days without a cooling system because its flesh is really soft and melts very quickly. But in appearance, it has uniform color and does not possess spots.
Cherry
Cherry mango is rich and spicy with after taste of turpentine and kerosene. You will know it is ripe when the green colour diminishes
and yellow becomes dominant. It is also called sheri, sherry or cherie. It is green in colour and has an ellipse shape.
Peter
Peter mango is green in colour and is large. It is sweet like sugar when it is ripe, and firm in nature. It is red blush when it becomes ripe.
Kesar
Is smaller in size with round shape and it is the second most exported item because of its great sweetness. Though it is dull in appearance with patches of yellow color, it is really smooth and also has a nice fragrance with intense yellow flesh. The soft patches endear this variety of mango to most people globally.
Glenn
Glenn is a variety of mango that is also very sweet, tangy, and rich with good flavour. It is also great for its disease resistance quality. Its exotic aroma and taste make it one of the world’s top mango varieties.