Mango consumption is booming in the United States, and the tropical fruit is starting to give more traditional fruits such as bananas, strawberries and pineapples a run for their money.
According to Costa Rica’s Foreign Trade Promotion Office, the U.S. is now the second most important destination of Costa Rican mango exports behind the Netherlands, with sales to the U.S. totaling $8.4 million in 2011. In 2010, the U.S. market was third behind the United Kingdom.
U.S. Department of Agriculture data indicate that mango imports increased from $226 million in 2007 to $343 million in 2011, an increase of 13 percent. Mexico is the main supplier of the fruit, followed by Peru and Brazil.
During the first five months of 2012, Costa Rica’s mango sales to the U.S. totaled $6.7 million, with a market share of 24.5 percent.
