Uganda is well suited for growing tropical fruits such as mangoes due to the country's ample water source and a moderate and steady tropical climate. The Ugandan production and export of fresh fruits have increased by more than threefold in the last five years and the trend is expected to continue. Uganda is able to produce mangoes year-round and some of the varieties exported are: Alfonso, Bire, Kent, and Tommy Atkins. Although Ugandan mangoes are of high quality, they face tough international competition from countries such as Kenya and India, two major mango producing countries.
According to Zahra Food Industries Ltd.’s internal testing, the Ugandan Kent mango has a Brix level as high as 17. Tommy Atkins mango, although slightly more fibrous than Kent, has a Brix level of 14. Of the local varieties, Bire mango has the highest Brix level of 16. However, Bire is difficult to export due to its fine skin, which makes the mango very susceptible to fruit flies.
The target markets for Zahra Food Industries Ltd.’s mangoes are the Europian Union and the Middle East. So far, Uganda has not been marketed as a sourcing destination for mangoes because the country is overshadowed by Kenya for mango exports. Although Ugandan mangoes are on par with Kenyan mangoes in terms of quality, it is difficult for Ugandan mango exporters to compete with Kenyan exporters due to Kenya’s high production capacity. Although total Ugandan fruit and vegetable export is valued at around 40 million USD, mangoes account for an insignificant share, whereas Kenyan mango export alone is valued at over 10 million USD.
In addition, Uganda’s main harvest season coincides with the main harvest season in India, the largest mango producing country, and Kenya, which adds extra competition for Ugandan mangoes. As a result, there is a surplus of mangoes during key harvest seasons in Uganda between March and July.
To avoid competition from Kenyan and Indian mangoes, Zahra Food Industries Ltd. has taken upon fruit dehydration to make use of the surplus of mangoes during the main harvest season. The company uses US manufactured dehydrators to maximize the retention of the organoleptic values of the dehydrated fruit. Of the company’s dried fruit product offerings, “dried mangoes are proving to be the fastest moving product compared to dried pineapples, bananas, jackfruit, and papaya,” states Quresh Fidahusein, the founder of Zahra Food Industries Ltd.
Uganda is starting to take advantage of the potential export opportunities for mangoes. More mango trees are being planted in the country, and as the trees mature and farmers become better at pest management and post-harvest handling, Uganda’s mango production and export are likely to increase in the future. The Ugandan farmers and the government are also working on ways to improve the value addition process and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits. For example, in partnership with Makerere University, the government has launched mobile fruit processing trucks that pick up fresh fruits around the country and process them along the way. Value addition will help address the surplus of mangoes during peak seasons and the extended shelf life will allow Ugandan mangoes to reach international markets during the off-seasons of major producing countries.