NMB Releases Mango Postharvest Best Management Manual In Spanish

Orlando, Fla. (March 2, 2011) – The Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual, which was released in English last December, is now available in Spanish. Designed to help improve mango quality at each step of the supply chain, the manual was translated to Spanish to make it easier for mango growers, packers and exporters in the source countries to use and benefit from the information. The Spanish version is now available for download at www.mango.org/manualesp. The publication is currently being translated to Portuguese and will be available soon.

The publication is the culmination of nearly four years of research and analysis funded by the National Mango Board (NMB) and conducted by a team of mango experts led by Dr. Jeff Brecht of the University of Florida. The goal of the Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual is to provide all members of the mango supply chain with tools and information to help them deliver outstanding mango quality to U.S. consumers on a consistent basis. The NMB’s mission is to increase demand for mangos in the U.S., and consistent mango quality is an extremely important factor, according to NMB executive director, William Watson.

The Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual is the latest in an extensive library of Spanish-language resources provided by the NMB. In addition to the manual, the board presents the entire industry section of its website in Spanish, including all of the research reports and detailed results of the NMB’s marketing initiatives. The board’s monthly e-newsletter is also presented in both English and Spanish.

Said Watson, “The growers, packers and exporters of mangos in the source countries are the heart and soul of this industry. Without them, the mango business in the U.S. would not be booming, and consumers here would not get to enjoy this amazing fruit all year long. It’s important that we provide information to them in Spanish so they can get the most benefit from these tools.”

The NMB is currently creating an extension program to engage growers and packers in the source countries and encourage the adoption of the best practices outlined in the manual. In the Spanish-speaking countries, these workshops will be presented in Spanish. The extension workshops are scheduled to begin in May. More details will be published soon.

Source: National Mango Board