Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of six members to serve on the National Mango Board. The appointees include five new members and one returning member. Appointees will serve three-year terms from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2024, with the exception of one importer appointee from District III, whose term will begin immediately and will end Dec. 31, 2022. The newly appointed board members include: Clark Golden – importer District I (re-appointed) Albert Perez – importer District I Daniel Ibarra – importer District III (one-year term) Umi Martin – domestic producer

June is National Mango Month, and the National Mango Board is highlighting that it’s always mango season. From social media campaigns and new recipes to seasonal menu ideas and promotions, the NMB is showcasing how best to utilize mango this summer. “Mango has popped up in different applications from soft drinks to hard seltzers to new menu offerings, so National Mango Month comes at the perfect time to highlight where it all starts, fresh whole mango,” said NMB Executive Director Manuel Michel. “It’s encouraging to see mango consumption per capita steadily increase over the years from 1.88

To Chris Ciruli, chief operating officer of Ciruli Bros., based in Nogales, AZ, the numbers speak for themselves. “Last week (April 25 to May 1), 3.7 million cartons of mangos came into the United States. With that type of volume, you’d expect prices to be on the decline, but the demand is still very strong.” The veteran mango supplier recalled that it wasn’t too long ago that a few weeks in a row of 2.5 million cases would send the market spiraling downward. “I expect we will have a couple of back-to-back weeks this season with volumes in excess of 3 million cartons with good demand. Mango

London Fruit Inc., which is based in Pharr, TX, has started production of its Kent mango variety from the state of Michoacán in southwest Mexico. Jerry Garcia, vice president and co-owner of the company, has been representing Mexican mangos to U.S. buyers for four decades. The company is a Mexican mango specialist, carrying the item into late summer, sourcing from a half dozen different growing regions and packers. Garcia said the company’s Kent mango program from Michoacán is special in that London Fruit is one of the leading purveyors of the variety during this mid-April to late-May time

The National Mango Board elected new officers during its March board meeting. As dedicated members, the NMB officers will fulfill their duties and responsibilities by leading the board in accordance with the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996, and the Mango Order. Clark Golden of Vineland, NJ, will serve as chair, and Christopher Ciruli of Tubac, AZ, as vice chair. Serving as secretary is Michael Warren of Pompano Beach, FL, and elected as treasurer is Marsela McGrane of Los Angeles. The NMB officers, together with the rest of the board members, will continue to uphold

Mission Produce Inc., a world leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados, announced a year-round mango program. In true Mission form, it will be among the first to incorporate ripening and distribution on a global and national scale through its advanced network. “We’re entering the mango category today as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago — in a way it never has been done before,” said Steve Barnard, CEO and founder of Mission Produce. “Mangos offer a long runway with a lot of opportunity — as the No. 1 consumed fruit in the world, adding mangos to our