The Malawi Mangoes (MM), the country’s first large-scale commercial fruit farming and processing enterprise, has attracted K1 billion in its 1700 metric tonnes (MT) exports of mango puree since 2015.
The company, which grows and processes mangoes, bananas and pineapples, is based in the Lakeshore district of Salima. It has so far partnered with global companies involved in the production and marketing of mango derived products.
The company penetrated the exports market in 2015 with its mango puree and has so far been exporting the puree, dried final product or packaged fresh mango to regional and international markets. So far in 2017, puree exports are 693MT
And in November this year, it penetrated an export market for fresh mangoes in Dubai and Kuwait where it exported eight metric tonnes.
It also has customer interest from Europe, India, and Asia for export in 2018 of over 50 MT.
Responding to a questionnaire, the company’s general manager, Charlie Leaper said Malawi Mangoes is also targeting the production of up to 30 MT of dried mango in 2018 after continuing commercial trials in 2016/17.
According to Leaper, the company’s target will be the European, Asian and US markets.
“Following a significant change in strategy in 2016, a subsequent organisational restructure and recently entering into a memorandum of understanding with a global strategic partner in fruit production and processing, MMOL is now actively seeking new investment to support its long-term business plan.
He added that the company is working with commercial and smallholder farms which will supply regional and international markets with annual production of up to 700 metric tonnes of fresh mangoes, 600 MT of dried and approximately 2 500 MT of pureed mango over a 10-year horizon among other developments.
According to Leaper, the company has been forced to use generators, which has had a significant impact on its cost of production given the reliance on diesel as a back up to mainline power.
Leaper further decried high transport costs as it uses air transport to export its products.
Malawi Mangoes is the country’s first major international standard fruit processor. n
