Mango Season!

First, apologies for the sub-standard pictures in the next couple of entries. My camera has been compromised (a story for a later entry) and I am awaiting another. I promise to substitute the current pics for local shots in early June.

Apparently, May is Mango season in Haiti. I first became aware of this when I approached Partners in Health in Cange about holding a two-day Tabasamu dental program during the last weekend of May. There were a few reasons that particular weekend was not viable. Among them was the surge of activity because of Mango season. Wow, I thought, a reorientation of daily routine over mangoes!

Starting the last weekend in April, Margarette and Carmel appeared with mangoes from their fieldwork locations of Darbonne and Leogane. Last Sunday, upon returning from a parish visit with the Bishop in Leogane, I saw lines of vendors in the street markets with towers of mangos. Truly this is an annual phenomenon.

This actually reminds me of living in New Hampshire during my early years of marriage. Everyone had gardens and a primary crop was zucchini. You didn’t really need air conditioning in the summer in West Lebanon, N.H. Safety wasn’t a concern either. It was common to see rows of parked cars on the main road with the windows down. Of course, this also allowed those with an overabundance of zucchini to “gift” them to each and every citizen who was running errands in town! It was a common occurrence. I won’t be surprised if we begin to find mangoes at our doorstep before the season is done!

I decided that the mango was a worthy topic of discussion for my intermediate English class. Given that so many of the Seminarians hail from the mountains and rural areas, I guess I should not have been surprised by their level of knowledge about farming in Haiti. In addition to specifics on the mango, they were able to share the growing season and primary location for every native crop. It was quite impressive.

Back to mangoes. The largest production of mangoes occurs in the North and Central regions, Gros Moine and, you guessed it, Leogane. In addition to the visible density of the trees, the Seminarians seems to feel that the soil of these regions provides the ideal environment for mangoes.

Of all the varieties produced in Haiti, the Francisque (also known as Francine and Francis) mango is the most coveted. It is also the main national variety distributed in the global market. It is a fleshy fruit whose special flavor captivates those that consume it. Though other countries have tried to replicate this variety, they have, as yet, been unsuccessful.

261,000 metric tons of mangos were produced in Haiti in 2005. But this is a sector that can do much better taking into account all existing potential of the industry and considering the growing demand of the Haitian mango in the international market. With an increase of mango plantations, improving transport conditions and the capacity of processing enterprises not to forget the marketing system, many Haitians could increase their income through this important sector.

Mango exports harnessed 7.93 million dollars into the Haitian economy in 2007, according to the National Bank of the Republic of Haiti. Estimates by the National Association of Mango Exportation (ANEM) reported $10 million. From the profit it generates, the mango industry has dethroned the coffee and cocoa industry in Haiti, despite the fact that these products have long been regarded as the country's two major exports.

In addition to enhancing the export business and ensuring employment for Haitians, mango season also provides an easy food source for the many undernourished citizens. In fact, when the season ends in July, hardship in securing food returns for Haitians.

Mango season is a natural phenomena of Haiti that invites spirit and energy while also serving a vitally important role in the economy, employment and sustenance of its people. As with many things in Haiti, it is my hope and dream that Haiti can expand on this significant export to further opportunity and stability in the country. For the short term, it’s fabulous to be able to consume mangoes every day!