Distinctive Mangoes in Taiwan

Often referred to as the “tropical fruit king,” mangoes are one of the most important fruit crops in Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, in 2019 alone, a total of 8,000 tons of mangoes were exported to other countries, including Japan, Singapore, South Korea, China, and Hong Kong, an increase of 56 percent from the previous year.

There is a big variety of mangoes sold at the Yujing mango wholesale market. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Also, the country’s mango exports continue to grow by about 17 percent this year, despite the outbreak of COVID-19.

Western mango cultivars introduced from the United States were successfully tested and grown in Yujing in 1961. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Please watch the following video of the Mango Kingdom of the World. 

Distribution of mangoes

Mango is a tropical fruit crop and Taiwan’s mangoes are mainly grown in the country’s central and southern areas due to their ideal tropical growing conditions, with Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung considered most expansive.

Apples (Ping-Guo-Wum) and mangoes are grown in Taiwan’s Tainan City. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Mango varieties

Mangoes cultivated in Taiwan are of good quality with different colors, sizes, and tastes. They can be divided into four major strains: Local (土芒果), Southeast Asian (南洋種), Improved (改良種), and Newly-Emerging (新興品系).

Ai Wen mangoes sold at Yujing Mango Wholesale Market. (Image: Julia Fu / Vision Times)

Local mangoes have a unique fragrance though it looks smaller and unattractive. Southeast Asia strains are characterized by the White Mango (懷特) variety, also known as Ivory Mango (象牙), and Black Incense Mango (黑香). Improved strains include Ai Wen Mango (愛文), Haydn Mango (海頓), Kate Mango (凱特), Sacred Heart Mango (聖心).

Yujing mango wholesale market is a great place to buy quality mangoes. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

As to newly-emerging strains, there are Jinhuang Mango (金煌) variety, Tai Nong No.1 Mango (台農一號), Shanlin No.1 Mango (彬林一號), Yuwen No.6 Mango (玉文六號), Jinxing Mango (金興), Yulin Mango (玉林), Slow Love Mango (慢愛文), Hong Kate Mango (紅凱特), Jinwen Mango (金文), Jinmi Mango (金蜜), Honglong Mango (紅龍), Wenxin Mango (文心), Sacred Heart Mango (聖心), etc.

Mangoes cultivated in Tainan are of good quality with various strains and tastes. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Ai Wen mango

Ai Wen is the most striking mango variety in Taiwan. It is one of the 40-plus mango varieties introduced from the U.S. State of Florida in 1954. Within seven years of planting and domestication, Ai Wen stood out as its output was relatively stable, and its overall quality was very good.

Many mangoes and other seasonal fruits are sold on a truck outside the Yujing Mango Wholesale Market. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Ai Wen’s epidermis is in eye-catching red color and its flesh has a pleasing aroma that tastes sweet, and it is almost fiber-free. Also, its seeds are small and thin, with moderate sweetness. As a result, not only is it popular among farmers, but it is highly favored by consumers.

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng), is one of those ‘super’ fruits found to be rich in phytonutrients. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Hometown of mangoes

Yujing (玉井) is an agricultural district in southern Taiwan’s Tainan City, which has a total of 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of mango orchards. It is Taiwan’s biggest producer of mangoes, with an annual output of nearly 10,000 tons per year. It is thus referred to as the hometown of mangoes in Taiwan.

The Yujing Mango Wholesale Market is a popular destination for visitors when mangoes are in season from May to September. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

The district is where the imported Ai Wen mangoes cultivars were first planted in 1962, and it is currently one of the major producers of Ai Wen mangoes.

There are many other different types of fruit sold at the Yujing Mango Wholesale Market. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

Yujing has, therefore, earned itself a reputation for the hometown of the Aiwen Mango, and Yujing has been the location for the Mango Cultural Festival every year since 1999.

There are various dried mangoes sold at the Yujing Mango Wholesale Market. (Image: Billy Shyu / Vision Times)

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