Holiday Ayo - The amount of mango production in Indonesia is quite high. This sweet fruit is in the third place in the category of production of the most fruit crops after bananas and pineapples.

As cited from kompas.com, data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) states that the number of mango production in Indonesia will reach more than 2.8 million tons in 2021. So far, Indonesian mangoes, which generally come from Java Island, are mostly only distributed to other regions in Indonesia, while exports not so strong.

Researcher at the Center for Tropical Horticultural Studies of IPB, Sobir said fruit conditions and regulations were the main reasons for the weak export of Indonesian mangoes. Indonesia's superior mangoes, such as fragrant sweet, do have a better taste than other types.

When viewed in terms of taste, Sobir assesses, sweet fragrant mango can compete with other mangoes in the world. Unfortunately, this type of mango can not be stored for long.

"If the irwin mango has a beautiful red color, yes, the starch content is high, there is a good side of trading," said Sobir.

"Usually the shelf life is longer than Indonesian mangoes because the higher the starch content, the better the shelf life," he added.

Reasons for the Price of Gedong Gincu Mango is More Expensive than Other Types Meanwhile, the starch content of sweet fragrant mango tends to be less so that its shelf life is shorter.

"I once conducted a direct survey in China. We brought gedong gincu mango, sweet fragrant mango, and mango from Australia, coincidentally in collaboration with Australia," said Sobir.

Sobir said that there was a difference when Indonesian mangoes were served in different forms. The majority of people choose Gedong Gincu mango when it is served whole. No one took the sweet fragrant mango.

However, when the mango is served in slices, most people prefer sweet fragrant mango. The difference in the characteristics of this type of mango becomes a separate obstacle when you want to export.

"The sweet-smelling mango is not attractive to people. Because if it is brownish green, it is considered raw or rotten, while the other (mangoes) are bright red. Well, it is actually filled with gedong gincu mangoes," said Sobir.

"The problem is, the gedong gincu mango is a bit fibrous and has large seeds," he continued.

The next obstacle to Indonesian mango exports is regulation. Sobir said that international trade generally requires vapor heat treatment (VHT) as a condition for export. VHT technology or hot steam will later help kill pests or flies on mangoes.