Proposed mango grade standards to be issued
Proposed mango grade standards to be issued
It appears that there is close to universal agreement that inconsistent quality plagues mango exports to the United States and what is truly needed is some type of grade standard. Currently, there are no grade standards for mangos.
However, that situation appears to be headed toward resolution as a spokesman for the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service?s Fruit & Vegetable Programs told The Produce News March 2 that a proposed grade standard for mangos would be published in the Federal Register within a matter of days.
AMS spokesman George Chartier could not be more specific, but said that the Standardization Section of Fresh Products Branch of AMS has been working on updating a number of different fruit and vegetable grade standards over the past few months. "I understand a formal proposal for mangos is about to be issued."
As is typically the case, Mr. Chartier said that the mango industry itself had requested that the USDA develop grade standards. He said that the initial request came from Mexican officials as well as other groups involved in the mango business. "We were approached by a number of people, including the Mexican embassy [in the United States] and asked to establish standards."
In late 2003, the USDA called for comments and set Feb. 17, 2004, as the deadline for such input. Remarks were submitted from the Mexican embassy as well as the Nogales-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, the independent International Mango Association and numerous U.S. importers.
Enrique Lobo, the agricultural minister for the Mexican embassy in Washington, representing the secretary of agriculture for Mexico, wrote in support of the concept, but wanted to make sure Mexican officials were brought into the process. "As you are aware, Mexico is the largest supplier of mangos to the U.S. market, and while we support and encourage an orderly market, we are concerned [about] any impact the development and applications of standards for mangos might have on our exports. With this in mind, we would like to bring to the attention of AMS that the government of Mexico is also in the process of creating an official norm for mangos in Mexico," he wrote.
Lee Frankel, president of the FPAA, and two Arizona importers wrote in support of the program.
Mr. Frankel worded his comments: "A mango grade standard should encompass sizing definitions specific to different mango varieties. In addition, a mango grade standard should address physical condition defects and how certain physical condition definitions may apply differently for different varieties."
Will Cavan, executive director of the International Mango Organization, said that mango standards are long overdue in his written submission. "It is critical that a standard be established. The fresh mango industry has been suffering for years specifically because there has not been a standard for grades of mangos."
He continued: "Such a grade will keep inferior fruit from distorting markets for top-quality fruit. It will reward premium fruit and discourage inferior product from coming to market. As a result, the U.S. consumer will gain confidence in the mango as a delicious piece of fruit. Farmers will be rewarded for a job well done, and the industry will be able to dedicate funds for promoting an untapped market."
The USDA?s Mr. Chartier said that once the proposed regulations are published in the Federal Register, the industry will again have a limited time period " usually 60 to 90 days, " to make comments on specific proposals.
Tom Oliveri, director of trade practices and commodity services for Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, is somewhat of an expert on grade standards and said it is the comments on the specific proposals that are important. But he also cautioned that grade standards can only go so far to "clean up? the industry. Mr. Oliveri said that grade standards do not become a barrier to entry to the U.S. market, but rather the standard upon which an inspection is scored. Mr. Chartier agreed, saying that the new standards will be descriptive rather than restrictive.
However, Mr. Oliveri added that the value of the standards depends upon their written details. Standards can cover many things, from size and maturity to defects and the condition of the fruit. A size standard, for example, that spells out the dimensions of a "large? piece of fruit will allow for rejection at the buyer?s warehouse if it does not meet the grade standard.
?It is very important that those involved in the mango industry get involved in the establishment of the standards. Once the USDA publishes the proposed standards, they need to be scrutinized."
Mr. Oliveri said that in his experience of observing the development and amending of standards the process can easily take 18 months to two years.
Industry members said that the new grades can?t come quickly enough. Bill Vogel of Tavilla Sales Co. of Los Angeles said that grade standards for mangos are sorely needed in the industry. Similar to the written comments, however, he said that the standards are going to have to be variety-specific, as each variety has its own nuances. This will undoubtedly prove to be a difficult task as there are well over 100 varieties of mangos. Mr. Vogel said some turn red when ripe, others do not. Obviously maturity standards based on color can?t be the same for each variety.
But he said that it is important to have a maturity standard since fruit is often shipped into the U.S. market when it is isn?t mature in an effort to capitalize on a hot market. Unripe fruit purchased by the consumer is not advantageous for that consumer or the industry.
Jesus (Chuy) Loza of Freska International in Ventura, CA, echoed the comments of Mr. Vogel. Mr. Loza said poor quality or immature mangos cause problems in the industry. He said that poor-quality product tends to drive prices down.
Mr. Loza said that the establishment of standards in Mexico and the other points of origin is also very important, as that is where the standards have to be adopted. He said that it is expensive to prepare an orchard for the export market so growers are naturally very interested in shipping as much volume as they can. Importers, making their money on a per-carton basis, also have a vested interested in keeping the volume up, he said.
While some in the industry have indicated that the new Mango Promotion Board will have some control over standards and volume through quality, Mr. Chartier said that is not the case. "It is a research and promotion board, not a marketing order. That board will not be able to set standards that would restrict entry such as a marketing order might be able to do."
(For more on mangos, see the March 14 issue of The Produce News.)
However, that situation appears to be headed toward resolution as a spokesman for the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service?s Fruit & Vegetable Programs told The Produce News March 2 that a proposed grade standard for mangos would be published in the Federal Register within a matter of days.
AMS spokesman George Chartier could not be more specific, but said that the Standardization Section of Fresh Products Branch of AMS has been working on updating a number of different fruit and vegetable grade standards over the past few months. "I understand a formal proposal for mangos is about to be issued."
As is typically the case, Mr. Chartier said that the mango industry itself had requested that the USDA develop grade standards. He said that the initial request came from Mexican officials as well as other groups involved in the mango business. "We were approached by a number of people, including the Mexican embassy [in the United States] and asked to establish standards."
In late 2003, the USDA called for comments and set Feb. 17, 2004, as the deadline for such input. Remarks were submitted from the Mexican embassy as well as the Nogales-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, the independent International Mango Association and numerous U.S. importers.
Enrique Lobo, the agricultural minister for the Mexican embassy in Washington, representing the secretary of agriculture for Mexico, wrote in support of the concept, but wanted to make sure Mexican officials were brought into the process. "As you are aware, Mexico is the largest supplier of mangos to the U.S. market, and while we support and encourage an orderly market, we are concerned [about] any impact the development and applications of standards for mangos might have on our exports. With this in mind, we would like to bring to the attention of AMS that the government of Mexico is also in the process of creating an official norm for mangos in Mexico," he wrote.
Lee Frankel, president of the FPAA, and two Arizona importers wrote in support of the program.
Mr. Frankel worded his comments: "A mango grade standard should encompass sizing definitions specific to different mango varieties. In addition, a mango grade standard should address physical condition defects and how certain physical condition definitions may apply differently for different varieties."
Will Cavan, executive director of the International Mango Organization, said that mango standards are long overdue in his written submission. "It is critical that a standard be established. The fresh mango industry has been suffering for years specifically because there has not been a standard for grades of mangos."
He continued: "Such a grade will keep inferior fruit from distorting markets for top-quality fruit. It will reward premium fruit and discourage inferior product from coming to market. As a result, the U.S. consumer will gain confidence in the mango as a delicious piece of fruit. Farmers will be rewarded for a job well done, and the industry will be able to dedicate funds for promoting an untapped market."
The USDA?s Mr. Chartier said that once the proposed regulations are published in the Federal Register, the industry will again have a limited time period " usually 60 to 90 days, " to make comments on specific proposals.
Tom Oliveri, director of trade practices and commodity services for Western Growers Association in Irvine, CA, is somewhat of an expert on grade standards and said it is the comments on the specific proposals that are important. But he also cautioned that grade standards can only go so far to "clean up? the industry. Mr. Oliveri said that grade standards do not become a barrier to entry to the U.S. market, but rather the standard upon which an inspection is scored. Mr. Chartier agreed, saying that the new standards will be descriptive rather than restrictive.
However, Mr. Oliveri added that the value of the standards depends upon their written details. Standards can cover many things, from size and maturity to defects and the condition of the fruit. A size standard, for example, that spells out the dimensions of a "large? piece of fruit will allow for rejection at the buyer?s warehouse if it does not meet the grade standard.
?It is very important that those involved in the mango industry get involved in the establishment of the standards. Once the USDA publishes the proposed standards, they need to be scrutinized."
Mr. Oliveri said that in his experience of observing the development and amending of standards the process can easily take 18 months to two years.
Industry members said that the new grades can?t come quickly enough. Bill Vogel of Tavilla Sales Co. of Los Angeles said that grade standards for mangos are sorely needed in the industry. Similar to the written comments, however, he said that the standards are going to have to be variety-specific, as each variety has its own nuances. This will undoubtedly prove to be a difficult task as there are well over 100 varieties of mangos. Mr. Vogel said some turn red when ripe, others do not. Obviously maturity standards based on color can?t be the same for each variety.
But he said that it is important to have a maturity standard since fruit is often shipped into the U.S. market when it is isn?t mature in an effort to capitalize on a hot market. Unripe fruit purchased by the consumer is not advantageous for that consumer or the industry.
Jesus (Chuy) Loza of Freska International in Ventura, CA, echoed the comments of Mr. Vogel. Mr. Loza said poor quality or immature mangos cause problems in the industry. He said that poor-quality product tends to drive prices down.
Mr. Loza said that the establishment of standards in Mexico and the other points of origin is also very important, as that is where the standards have to be adopted. He said that it is expensive to prepare an orchard for the export market so growers are naturally very interested in shipping as much volume as they can. Importers, making their money on a per-carton basis, also have a vested interested in keeping the volume up, he said.
While some in the industry have indicated that the new Mango Promotion Board will have some control over standards and volume through quality, Mr. Chartier said that is not the case. "It is a research and promotion board, not a marketing order. That board will not be able to set standards that would restrict entry such as a marketing order might be able to do."
(For more on mangos, see the March 14 issue of The Produce News.)
