*Written by staffer Olivia Chung*
In South Florida, mangos are a trademark flavor of the summer. With a season ranging from May to October, there is ample opportunity to enjoy this sweet southern special. Last year, we saw an abundant mango yield; however, farmers often state that the seasons offering the highest yield are directly followed by a year of low harvest, which is exactly what South Florida growers are experiencing this summer. The mango crop of 2024 is proving to be extremely low, prompting many individuals to ask, what happened to all the mangoes?
There are two main environmental factors that are responsible for this decrease. The first would be the sudden cool temperature drops, which happened during the mangoes’ winter flowering season from December to February. These temperatures impacted this year’s harvest by damaging both the flowers and the leaves of the trees.
Dr. Jonathan Crane, a tropical fruit specialist, stated in an interview with Local 10 News that these cold snaps killed the developing fruit (embryo) within the fruit flowers and effectively prevented pollinators from doing their job. The cold temperatures also affected insects such as honey bees, rendering them unable to fly. With no developing fruit and no pollinators flying, little pollination could occur.
Additionally, this past spring’s windy weather pattern further affected the flowering season of the mango trees. Two heavy storms with high winds occurred after the mango trees had bloomed, effectively blowing any remaining flowers off the trees, not allowing them to develop into fruit.
Access to trees that continue to bear mangos is extremely rare this year, so, when you find mangos on your tree, make sure to savor every bite of these sweet golden gems.
There are roughly 500 to 1,000 varieties of mangoes grown around the world. (Photo/Olivia Chung)
