Collection Crates for Mangoes Reduce Postharvest Losses in Haiti

Under the USAID/DAI Hillside Agricultural Project (HAP) in Haiti, Fintrac is currently working with two members of the National Association of Mango Exporters (ANEM) to improve the export quality of local Francine mangoes and reduce postharvest losses. With the assistance of Fintrac postharvest specialist Jackie Boardman, trials were carried out using  plastic crates to transport mangoes from fields to collection centers and then on to packhouses in Port-au-Prince.

Unique to Haiti, Francine mangoes are grown by small-scale hillside farmers who traditionally transport their mangoes to collection points in panniers loaded onto donkeys or mules.  From collection points, mangoes are usually transported in bulk on the beds of trucks to exporters in Port-au- Prince. This system results in bruising and blemishing, decreasing the value of fragile Francine mangoes and resulting in heavy postharvest losses.

The quality differences between mangoes transported by pannier and collection crate was described as "night and day" by one exporter after seeing the results of the trials (see photos at right).   Mangoes transported in the crates exhibited significantly less bruising, resulting in a large reduction in the level of rejects.

The cost of buying traditionally transported mangoes that are subsequently rejected for export is estimated at US$25,000-$40,000 per 100,000 boxes of mangoes exported.   The use of crates for transport can significantly reduce this loss.

Using crate transport is only the first step in improving mango postharvest practices in Haiti.   With over two million boxes (9,000 MTs) of mangoes exported during the 2002 season, the race is now on to produce a crate carrier suitable for transport by donkeys (still the best means of transporting mangoes down steep hillsides) and to make crates available for use by all Haitian mango growers. Along with other improved postharvest techniques, Fintrac estimates that export volumes could increase by 25-50 percent by reducing current postharvest losses and increasing the volume of product that meets export quality standards.