The South African Mango Growers’ Association (SAMGA) and the Agricultural Produce Agents Council (APAC) have launched a strict crackdown on the sale of immature ‘achar’ mangoes falsely marketed as ripe fruit. The two organisations have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at stopping traders from artificially ripening young mangoes with ethylene gas and releasing them into fresh produce markets as premium, ready-to-eat fruit.
According to Registrar of APAC,Francois Knowles, the agreement follows repeated incidents in recent seasons where buyers purchased unripe mangoes under the guise of achar processing, only to treat them with ethylene, pack them in cartons and sell them to markets as ripe fruit. Knowles explained that the practice is especially common early in the season when mango prices are high. “While ethylene improves colour, the fruit remains sour and bitter, leading to a poor eating experience,” said Knowles. He noted that research by a major retailer found that consumers who had a bad mango experience were unlikely to buy the fruit again for up to 12 weeks, which not only makes the practice unethical but also damages consumer confidence and suppresses market demand.
One example occurred in November 2024, when Prokon inspectors blocked a consignment of Tommy Atkins mangoes for failing to meet maturity standards. The same batch was presented a week later and passed based on colour, even though its internal maturity remained poor. It is also alleged that portions of the initially blocked fruit were sold before reinspection.Through the new MoU, SAMGA and APAC will jointly monitor early-season mango deliveries at national fresh produce markets and alert Prokon to conduct maturity inspections. They will track blocked consignments, follow up on suspicious re-entries, and take action against market agents caught selling immature fruit.
Every October, the two bodies will issue reminders to agents and market authorities highlighting the risks of ethylene-ripened mangoes and requesting that such fruit not be traded. They will also host a training webinar on mango maturity, the effects of ethylene ripening and how poor quality fruit undermines demand.
