Number 49 December 2007

TROPICAL

FRUITS

NEWSLETTER

INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE

OFFICE IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOISSN 1024 1957 CaRC/TT-03/07

#3 Herbert Street, Newtown, Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago / P.O. Box 1318

Tel: (868) 628-4403/4078/9; Fax: (868) 628-4562 Email: iicatt@iicacarc.org

Tropical Fruits Newsletter, produced quarterly, is

a medium to disseminate technical and general

information on pre-production, production,

harvesting, post-harvest handling, and marketing

of tropical fruit crops among Caribbean

professionals, producers and processors working

in these areas. The editors welcome the

submission of articles and news covering these

subjects.

In This Issue

Editorial 2

News from around the region 3

Marketing opportunities for Jamaica's grapefruit

industry 5

Passion Fruit 10

Antigua Mango Festival 12

Postharvest handling of avocado 14

Postharvest handling of soursop 16

Nutritional highlights of selected fruits 18

Nutritional and health benefits of citrus fruits 18

Research Abstracts 19

Resources 20

Recipes 21

Upcoming events 22

Websites 22

EDITORIAL2

This year, marks the 15th anniversary of the

publication of the Tropical Fruits Newsletter.

During the past 15 years, we have been

pleased to provide stakeholders and partners

throughout the region and internationally,

with information pertaining to technical and

marketing developments in the tropical fruit

industry in the Caribbean. We trust that the

newsletter has contributed in some measure

to fostering an appreciation for the market in

the Caribbean.

This issue addresses marketing and markets

for tropical fruits and fruit products produced

in the Caribbean region. The marketing of

tropical fruits remains an important area of

focus for the industry, based on several

factors, including the potential for export of

tropical fruits from our region to larger

markets in Europe, the United Kingdom and

the United States.

Intra-regional trade of tropical fruits should

also be greatly encouraged. With the

opening up of the Caribbean Single Market

Economy (CSME), there exists an open

market for regional fruit producers and

entrepreneurs to supply to markets within the

region. Opportunities exist for intra-regional

supply of produce to hotels, restaurants and

supermarket chains as well as for producers

to participate in domestic markets in islands

other than their own.

Excerpts from an article on marketing

opportunities for the Jamaican grapefruit

presents an overview of international trends

in production and trade of grapefruits and

identifies potential opportunities for the

Jamaican citrus industry. This research is

important in light of opportunities presented

to the region to produce citrus, given the

deficit in the supply of orange juice to the

United States.

Notably, there has been an increase in fruit

festivals around the Caribbean region, which

are excellent marketing opportunities in

themselves and also stimulate production

within communities as well as creativity and

innovation in value-added fruit processing.

One such example is the Mango Festival in

Antigua, which is fast becoming a popular

annual event on the calendar.

Tropical Fruits Newsletter continues to

promote the health benefits of tropical fruits

in our Caribbean society. Excerpts from an

article by the Caribbean Food and Nutrition

Institute provide more insight into some of

the real benefits of the nutritional value of

fruits and vegetables and the important role

they play in maintaining health and

preventing disease.

As an institution, IICA remains committed

to the growth and development of the

tropical fruit industry in the region and

continues to source resources and

information that we trust will meet with the

satisfaction and needs of the stakeholders

and players within the industry.

We wish to thank the contributors to this

issue: Edward Evans, Janette Lawrence and

the IICA Office in Antigua & Barbuda and

convey special thanks to the Caribbean Food

and Nutrition Institute (CFNI) and the Rural

Agricultural Development Authority

(RADA) in Jamaica.

Special thanks to the French Embassy in

Trinidad and Tobago for their continued

contribution and support to the development

of the fruit industry - particularly in the

production of this newsletter.

As always, we take this opportunity to

solicit relevant contributions from our

readers, researchers and our many

stakeholders as we seek to stimulate and

encourage growth in this valuable aspect of

our region's agriculture.

Aaron H. Parke

IICA Representative in Trinidad & Tobago

TROPICAL FRUITS NEWSLETTER

Coordination

and layout: Kathryn Duncan

Editors: Aaron H. Parke

Edric Harry

ISSN#: 1024 1957

CaRC/TT-03/07

The publication of this newsletter has

been made possible by the kind

cooperation of the Government of

France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and

the Inter-American Institute for the

Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The responsibility for opinions

expressed in this publication rests

solely with the authors.

Production Guide for Sapodilla, Soursop

and Sugarapple

Increasingly, nutritionists and other health

care providers are advocating the virtues of

including more fresh fruits and vegetables in

the diet as a means of promoting healthy

living. Over the years however, some of our

fruits and vegetables are becoming less

available to consumers on the local market.

Those fruits and vegetables which seem to

be disappearing from the local market

include sapodilla (Manilkara zapota van

Royen), soursop (Annona muricata L.) and

sugarapple (Annona squamosa L.)

The Inter-American Institute for

Cooperation on Agriculture has prepared a

production guide for promoting the

development of those fruits so as to make

them more readily available and popular.

Policy recommendations are also made for

development of the identified fruits.

This comprehensive production guide is

well illustrated to allow for easy reading,

especially for persons who may not be

familiar with the production of the fruits. It

is therefore a good guide for the home

gardener as well as for those persons who

may wish to establish commercial orchards.

Included in the production guide are

descriptions of the botany of the trees;

descriptions of its fruits and flowers;

cultivars that are used; the nutritional value

of the fruits and their economic importance.

The guide covers cultivation; land

preparation techniques; plant management;

pest and disease management; harvesting

and post-harvest management and storage.

Production Guide for Sapodilla, Soursop

and Sugarapple will be available in 2008.

IICA

Supporting

Fruit Industry

Expansion

in the Caribbean

3 NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION

GUYANA

West Dem farmer certified to export pine

to St Lucia

Officials from St Lucia's agriculture ministry recently

approved pineapples from a West Bank Demerara farm for

export to that island.

According to a press release, Tameshwar Hiralall, of Canal

Number One Polder, was identified as the sole exporter of the

fruit after the authorities certified that he had met the

stipulated husbandry requirements. St Lucia crop protection

officers Floyd Alexander and Burnet Sealy, accompanied by

local officials from the Plant Health Unit (PHU) at the

agriculture ministry and officers from the New Guyana

Marketing Corporation (GMC) conducted tests and Alexander

said from all indications, Hiralall's farm met the necessary

requirements. "There were no visible signs of pests or disease

affecting the crop and the condition of the farm has met our

requirements."

Alexander and Sealy will oversee the first processing and

packaging of the pineapples at the GMC's Central Packaging

Facility (CPF) located at the Sophia Exhibition Centre, where

they will be stamped and sealed. Afterwards PHU officers will

be tasked with approving future exports to the island.

Exporter Natasha Brady said the GMC played an integral role

in identifying the possible source for the initial shipment of

pineapples by providing market information, brokerage

services and technical advice. "I am excited because this is the

first time I will be exporting pineapples to St Lucia. In fact no

one else is doing so at the moment so it is very likely that I

will be setting the standard and parameters for future

exporters," Brady said.

The GMC said a Protocol of Trade exists between Guyana

and several Caricom countries which clearly stipulates the

requirements imposed by each country.

Exporters to these countries must buy produce from certified

farmers and all produce must be packaged at the CPF and it

should be inspected and certified by a local plant quarantine

officer.

Source: Stabroek News

www.stabroeknews.com

GUYANA

Guyana pushing sugar loaf pineapple

cultivation for export

The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Poor

Rural Communities Support Services Programme (PRCSSP),

yesterday distributed, to selected farmers, planting material

called ‘slips’ for the cultivation of sugar loaf pineapples.

The objective of the distribution is to encourage more

widespread production of the delicious variety that is very

much in demand on the external market, particularly as

chunks, PRCSSP official, Mr. Sasenarine Singh said.

Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Robert Persaud did the handing

out to four farmers, three from Essequibo and one from

Demerara, at a brief ceremony in his Ministry, Vlissengen

Road, Georgetown Boardroom. He said the disbursement was

in keeping with the Government policy that agricultural

production should be export driven.

Persaud said sugar loaf pineapple was already being

successfully cultivated at Mainstay/Whyaka in Region Two

(Pomeroon/Supenaam) and exported in chunks, by a canning

company named AMCAR, to places in Europe.

He noted that a packaging plant is now under construction in

Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and the

success of the venture with the highly popular pineapple could

lead to it being shipped abroad directly from that Region.

Persaud explained that yesterday’s exercise was part of a pilot

scheme which, if it succeeds, would encourage more large

scale production for both the domestic and overseas markets.

The four recipients yesterday were George Smith and Wesley

Grimes, of Salem, East Bank Essequibo; Nazim Ali, of Hogg

Island and Laurel Smith, of Free and Easy, Wakenaam, both

along Essequibo River. They received a total of 2,000 sugar

loaf pine slips and Singh said the chosen quartet had been

successful in cultivating the Montserrat variety and were

involved in PRCSSP training programmes which helped to

improve their agronomic practices.

He said the PRCSSP has established demonstration plots for

the purpose at Salem, Free and Easy, Hogg Island, La

Harmonie, Bethany and Abrams Creek and funding for them

was acquired from the International Fund for Agricultural

Development (IFAD).

Source: The Guyana Chronicle

www.guyanachronicle.com

A snapshot of tropical fruit news items from the Caribbean in 2007

4

JAMAICA

Citrus Farmers Could Benefit from

Deficit in Supply to US

Jamaica's citrus farmers are being encouraged to replant their

orchards, to benefit from a deficit in the supply of orange

juice to the United States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Citrus Growers

Association (CGA), Paul Miller, told JIS News that because

of the withdrawal of several suppliers from Brazil and Florida,

due to disease or a shift in focus, the US market is facing a

supply deficit of 200 million boxes. According to Mr. Miller,

citrus production in Florida and Brazil is being threatened by

diseases such as tristeza, canker, the pink mealy bug and

citrus greening, which have significantly reduced production

levels, with the numbers "coming down from 270 to 130

million boxes (in Florida) and in Brazil, from 400 to 300

million boxes."

In Florida, he explained, the re-planting process is proving to

be costly, due to the pressure for land to meet residential and

resort demands, while in Brazil, the planting of sugarcane to

meet the demand for ethanol, has reduce the availability of

land for the replanting of citrus. "When a farmer finds his

citrus orchard affected by disease, rather than struggle with

replanting, he simply takes it out and replaces it with cane,"

Mr. Miller pointed out. Encouraging local farmers to increase

citrus production, he noted that the industry is capable of

producing some eight million boxes. Production now stands at

3.8 million boxes. "If we double our production or triple our

production, we have a market for that," he stated.

Mr. Miller pointed out that, "even if the market were to be

frozen, there is still a gap of 20 million boxes to be filled and

Eastern Europe and Central Europe are making demands for

citrus so there is an even bigger market, keeping the future

rosy."

Source: Jamaica Information Service

www.jis.gov.jm

SPECIAL NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION

REGION

Caricom urged to grow more

Caricom nations are not producing and eating enough

vegetables and fruits, a regional conference on food security

in Guyana has heard.

The shortfall is taking a toll on their health-- driving up the

number of people falling ill with non-communicable diseases

like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

Agriculture contributes between 10-40% of the Gross

Domestic Product of several Caricom member-nations but the

region still has much to do, the conference was told.

Caricom's assistant secretary general for trade, Irwin La

Rocque, reported that there had been a slight improvement in

the prevalence of under-nourishment some Caricom nations.

He added however that that progress was slowed by the love

of fast-foods by Caribbean nationals.

Food Economist at the Jamaica-based Caribbean Food and

Nutrition Institute (CFNI), Dr Ballayram says at least 60% of

deaths across the region are due to lifestyle disease.

This he blamed on a laid-back lifestyle and a diet consisting

of excess fat, salt, and sugars.

Rancid

As a first step, the CFNI official wants Caricom governments

to create incentives to prohibit the use of certain ingredients,

including trans-fats that scientists say raise the risk of heart

disease.

Several major fast-food chains in the US are moving to phase

out the use of trans-fats which are vegetable oils that have

been combined with hydrogen to prevent them from

becoming rancid.

The Caribbean director for the UN's Food and Agriculture

Organisation, Dr Barbara Graham, says the region is still not

eating enough fruits and vegetables.

She says this dietary imbalance can be corrected only through

a public education campaign combined with farmers using

appropriate technology and processes.

This approach, she says, will increase the amount of produce

while lowering cost of production and slashing the price that

consumers pay for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Source: BBC Caribbean

www.bbc.co.uk

outlined. The penultimate section discusses the results of our

investigation, and the paper ends with a few concluding remarks.

Trends in International Production and Trade of Grapefruits

World grapefruit production peaked in 2000 at about 5.33 MMT

but since then has declined to 3.66 MMT in 2005 (Table 1). The

noticeable drop in world production is due mainly to a steady

decline in production in the US, the world's number one

grapefruit-producing country, which on average accounts for

40% of total world production. China, the second most important

grapefruit producing country, accounts for about 8% of total

production. Over the last few years, production in China has

been increasing spurred by increased domestic demand.

However, the increases were insufficient to offset the shortfalls

in the US. Other major producers include Mexico, Israel, and

Cuba, each with shares of approximately 6% (FAOSTAT). In

terms of utilization, it is estimated that on average 60% of the

crop is marketed as fresh and 40% is sold as frozen concentrated

grapefruit juice.

With respect to trade, global exports of fresh grapefruits have

remained relatively flat over the five-year period of 2000 to

2004, averaging about 1.1 MMT, or about 23% of global

production (Table 2). As in the case of production, the US

dominates the trade with an average share of 38%. The EU

accounts for about 18% of the trade, followed by South Africa

(15%), Turkey (9%) and Israel (7%) as major exporters

(FAOSTAT).

On the import side, both Japan and the EU dominate the trade in

fresh grapefruits, and together they account for about 85% of

total imports. Over the five-year period (2000 to 2004), Japan

absorbed on average 58% of world's fresh grapefruit exports and

the EU about 26% (Table 3). Other noticeable importers include

Canada (5%), China (2.9%) and the US (1.8%).

US/Florida Grapefruit Production and Trade

Production of grapefruits in the US occurs in four states: Florida,

California, Texas, and Arizona. Florida is by far the leading

grapefruit-producing state and accounts for about 82% of

domestic production. About 47% of total grapefruit production is

marketed fresh while the rest is processed into grapefruit juice.

As shown in Table 1, grapefruit production in the US declined

steadily from 2.51 MMT in 2000 to 1.96 MMT in 2004 and then

plummeted to 914,440 metric tons in 2005. Between 2000 and

2005, bearing acreage fell from 153,000 acres to current levels of

about 103,000 acres, or by 32.7%. The bulk of the reduction in

bearing acreage occurred in Florida, which saw a 37.7%

reduction in acreage, from 114,000 to 71,000 acres, over the

same time frame. The reduction in bearing acreage and crop

produced is due to a combination of factors (discussed below).

Introduction

Several Caribbean sugar-producing countries, including Jamaica,

are actively looking for viable alternatives to recover some of the

lost revenues due to the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling

that sugar subsidies in the European Union (EU) are illegal. One

alternative worth considering is converting some of the sugar

cane lands to citrus orchards and exporting fresh grapefruits to

the EU. This marketing opportunity comes about as Florida, the

largest citrus-producing state in the United States (US) and the

second largest citrus-producing region in the world following the

state of São Paulo, Brazil, has suffered a series of recent setbacks

(citrus canker, citrus greening diseases, escalating land values,

and devastating hurricanes) that threaten the future of that

industry.

Florida/United States has historically accounted for over 40% of

world grapefruit production and dominates the world market in

the trade of both fresh and processed grapefruit ["Citrus

Summary," Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS), and

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United

Nations]. However, because of setbacks, grapefruit production in

the United States has been on the decline, from 2.51 million

metric tons (MMT) in 2000 to only 914,000 metric tons in 2005.

A recently released study conducted by the University of Florida

(UF) on the economic impact assessment of citrus canker and

citrus greening diseases on the future prospects for the Florida

citrus industry points to a bleak future for the industry.

Since the US accounts for approximately 40% of world

grapefruit exports, of which 25% goes to the EU, any

interruption in supplies in the US is bound to impact the market.

Given that Jamaica enjoys duty-free privileges for agricultural

commodities shipped to the EU, rising grapefruit prices in the

EU market due to reduction of supplies in the US and favorable

demand for the fruit due to health reasons could create marketing

opportunities for Jamaica's grapefruit industry.

The purpose of this paper therefore is to discuss the state of the

Florida citrus industry with particular reference to grapefruits and

to assess the long-term marketing prospects for Jamaican

grapefruit exports to the EU. Our decision to focus on the

grapefruit vis-a-vis other citrus products stems from a prior

assessment which indicates that of all the citrus products, fresh

grapefruit production in Florida is likely to be impacted the most

as a result of developments within the Florida Citrus Industry and

therefore offers the greatest marketing opportunity.

The paper commences by highlighting the major trends in the

international production and trade of grapefruits. The next two

sections discuss the situation in the US/Florida citrus industry

and the Jamaican citrus industry with reference to the grapefruit

industry. Following this, the methodology used to assess the

long-term prospects for fresh grapefruit marketed in the EU is

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES FOR JAMAICA'S GRAPEFRUIT INDUSTRY

Edward A. Evans, Sikavas Nalampang, and Thomas H. Spreen

ARTICLES 5

ARTICLES6

With regards to the trade, the US historically has been the

number one exporter of fresh grapefruits. Exports of fresh

grapefruits increased from 391,166 metric tons in 2000 to peak at

406,994 metric tons in 2002 but since then have been on the

decline. In 2005, exports totaled only 214,231 tons worth $152.8

million; almost half the volume exported in 2002, of 406,994

metric tons valued at $207.5 million. Table 4 shows the main

export destinations for fresh grapefruit shipped from the US. The

data indicate that the bulk of US fresh grapefruit exports goes to

Japan. Between 2000 and 2005, Japan accounted for 51% of all

fresh grapefruits shipped from the US while the EU accounted

for another 28.1%. Other noticeable importers were Canada

(12.7%), Republic of Korea (1.8%) and Mexico (0.4%). The US

also imports a small amount of fresh grapefruits, mainly from

The Bahamas, Mexico, and Israel.

As mentioned earlier, the decline in US production and exports

of fresh grapefruits is due to a combination of factors impacting

the Florida citrus industry. Chief among such factors are two

worrisome, relatively new diseases (citrus canker and citrus

greening); frequent hurricanes; and sharp increases in land

values.

Citrus canker is a bacterial disease that is mainly spread by

human contact and wind-driven rain. The disease attacks citrus

trees of which grapefruit trees are extremely susceptible. The

disease causes distinctive necrotic raised lesions on leaves,

stems, and fruit. Severe infections cause defoliation, blemished

fruit, premature fruit drop, twig dieback, and general tree decline

(Schubert et al., 2001). Because there are no effective disease

suppression strategies against the disease and blemished fruits

are unsuitable for fresh consumption, there is widespread

regulatory prohibition against shipping fresh fruit from areas

where the disease has become endemic. Efforts to eradicate the

disease require destroying all citrus trees (commercial as well as

residential) within a 1,900-foot radius of an infected tree.

Although the disease had been a periodic problem in Florida

since the early twentieth century, it was successfully managed.

However, a new infestation in 1995 gained foothold and spread

into southwest and southeast Florida. Efforts to eradicate the

disease was inhibited first by homeowners who were opposed to

their trees being cut down and later by a series of hurricanes in

2004 and 2005 that helped to rapidly spread canker throughout

the citrus areas. In 2006, the decision was made to stop the

practice of destroying trees within the 1,900-foot radius and to

develop a new science-based Citrus Health Response Program.

To date, more than 12.7 million citrus trees have been cut down

at a cost of more than $600 million, including compensation

(Science, 2006).

Citrus greening, also known as Huanglongbing, is a bacterial

disease with far worse consequences than citrus canker. Whereas

canker makes the trees less productive and blemishes the fruit,

greening causes the fruit to be totally unusable and eventually

kills the trees. The dreaded disease was discovered in Florida in

August of 2005. Some researchers have expressed the view that

it is virtually impossible to prevent the spread of the disease

throughout the state because the bacterium is spread by another

introduced insect that is found throughout Florida. Management

of the disease is made even more difficult since infected and

contagious trees do not show symptoms for several years. It is

believed that the full impact of this disease on the Florida citrus

industry has not yet been realized and that the prospect of

maintaining an economically viable citrus industry in the

presence of this disease will be a challenge.

Added to the disease and hurricane problems, there has been a

rapid increase in the value of both undeveloped and agricultural

land in the state of Florida over the last five years. A rural land

value survey conducted by the University of Florida reported

that agricultural land in South and Central Florida increased in

value between $1,866 per acre and $4,633 per acre from May

2004 to May 2005 (Reynolds, 2006). This has affected the

willingness of investors to commit capital to citrus production in

Florida and, in some cases, has hastened the conversion of citrus

land to other land uses, notably real estate development (Spreen,

2006).

Trends in On-tree Grapefruit Prices in Florida and

Wholesale Market Prices in EU

Table 5 shows the average on-tree prices received by Florida

growers over the marketing seasons 2001/02 to 2005/06. This

price represents the returns to growers' net of marketing costs.

The data presented in Table 5 indicate that between crop seasons

2001/02 and 2004/05, prices increased from $3.53 per 85-pound

box (4 cents per pound) to $14.86 per box (17 cents per pound).

Although price fell slightly in the following year to $10.16 per

box (12 cents per pound), it was still three times the price

received in the 2001/02 crop season (USDA Fruit and Tree Nuts

Outlook). The high prices in the last two seasons reflected tight

supplies in the market.

As to be expected, given the dominance of Florida's grapefruit

industry in world production and trade, prices in the EU market

were similarly affected. Table 6 shows the wholesale equivalent

market prices in selected European Markets for Florida fresh

grapefruit for the corresponding period. As shown in Table 6,

prices for fresh grapefruits increased from $27.72 per 85-pound

box (32 cents per pound) in marketing year 2001/02 to $49.36

per 85-pound box (58 cents per pound) and $51.6 per box (61

cents per pound) 2004/05 and 2005/06, respectively.

7ARTICLES

Brief Overview of Jamaica's Citrus/Grapefruit Industry

The Jamaican citrus industry remains an economically important

agricultural industry for the country, behind sugar, bananas, and

coffee. In 2004, the industry's direct contribution to the economy

was estimated at US $20 million, with an economic output

impact of $60 million. It provides direct employment for about

5,400 persons and total direct and indirect employment of about

20,000.

In 2004, a total of 21,840 acres were allocated to the production

of citrus with bearing and non-bearing acreages of 20,152 and

1,688, respectively. Oranges account for approximately 88% of

the total acreage while grapefruit accounts for the majority of the

balance. Production is carried out by a large number of small-

scale growers cultivating between 2 and 10 acres, accounting for

about 95% of the growers and 30% of total acreage. The

remaining 5% of growers have farms ranging from 25 to 5 000

acres.

Production of citrus has been declining due to the presence of

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV). However, both the government and

the industry have taken steps to manage the disease by

encouraging growers to replant with certified virus-free

seedlings and new rootstocks that are tolerant to CTV

expectations to help reverse the downward trend.

In 2004, a total of 3.53 million boxes of citrus were produced, of

which 47,158 were grapefruit. As with the declining trend in

production, exports have also been declining. Fresh and

processed fruit for export accounted for about 19% of the total

citrus production. Between 1998 and 2004, exports of fresh

citrus declined from about 7,846 metric tons valued at US$ 3.70

million to 2,786 tons with a value of $1.77 million, respectively,

with oranges accounting for the bulk of the exports. Since 2001,

there have been no exports of grapefruit due to strong domestic

demand. The main destinations for citrus exports from Jamaica

are the EU, US, Canada, and Barbados.

Methodology

Given the importance of the citrus industry to the US economy

and the state of Florida in particular, researchers at the

University of Florida undertook a comprehensive study to assess

the future of the Florida citrus industry (Spreen et al., 2006).

Among the objectives of the study was an assessment of the

long-run production and price forecasts for Florida citrus under

varying assumptions that relate to supply issues, including the

impact of canker and greening and higher undeveloped land

prices. Of interest to the current study were the long-term

projections for the grapefruit industry. Building on these

projections and taking into consideration the relationship

between prices that the Florida growers received and those

obtained in the EU market, we provide forecasts for long-term

grapefruit prices in the EU market. Below is a brief discussion of

the grapefruit model used by Spreen et al. (2006) to determine

the long-run projections, followed by a discussion of the

scenarios chosen and the approach used to forecast wholesale

prices in the EU.

Spreen et al. (2006) apply a modification of Pana's spatial

equilibrium model (1988) to predict Florida grapefruit

production between the 2006/07 and the 2020/1 seasons.

Assuming red seedless and white seedless as the main varieties

of grapefruit as well as fresh grapefruit and processed grapefruit

as the two markets, the model uses average yields per acre, on-

tree prices, tree inventory, and tree mortality for Florida

grapefruit production estimates. Using Florida grapefruit tree

inventory as an input to the model, the simulation starts by

calculating total grapefruit production (both red seedless and

white seedless) from grapefruit average yields per acre across

age categories and the number of grapefruit acres across age

categories. The equilibrium FOB price of grapefruit in each

market is solved by equating demand and supply of the Florida

grapefruit. The obtained FOB price estimate for grapefruit is

then deducted by packing costs, processing costs, and picking

and hauling costs to get on-tree prices and to predict new Florida

grapefruit planting levels. Impacts on planting levels due to cost

changes, such as higher land cost, are imposed by adjusting the

expected on-tree price. Production yields per acre and tree death

loss are adjusted for potential impacts from citrus canker and

citrus greening, respectively. After the existing tree inventory is

aged and adjusted for tree mortality, the model is solved for the

next season and the process is repeated for the rest of the

projection periods.

In our analysis, four scenarios from Spreen et al. (2006) are

selected for discussion and provide the basis our analysis. The

first scenario (the base run of the model) assumes only the

presence of citrus canker, which will increase acre-loss rate and

decrease acre yields by 10% each. Growth in domestic and

export demands for fresh grapefruit and grapefruit juice is not

imposed. The second scenario incorporates the potential impact

of low citrus greening (i.e., tree mortality for non-bearing trees

increases by 150% compared to the base, 100% for trees ages

four through eleven, and 75% for all older trees) in addition to

the presence of citrus canker. The third and the fourth scenarios

are modifications of the second scenario. The third scenario

differs slightly from the second scenario in that the potential

impact from citrus greening has intensified in addition to the

presence of citrus canker. Tree mortality for non-bearing trees

increases from 150% in the second scenario to 300% in the third

scenario, compared to the base. For trees ages four through

eleven, tree mortality increases from 100% in the second

scenario to 200% in the third scenario. For all trees age 12 and

older, tree mortality increases from 75% in the second scenario

to 150% in the third scenario. In the fourth scenario, the presence

of citrus canker and low citrus greening are maintained while the

assumption of higher land costs in Florida by $3,500 per acre is

added to the second scenario.

Having obtained the projections for Florida grapefruit industry

for the above scenarios over the period 2005/06 to 2020/01, we

then determined the relationship between Florida grapefruit on-

tree prices and market prices in selected EU markets (Hamburg,

Germany; Paris, France; and Rotterdam, Netherlands) through a

8 ARTICLES

Table 8 compares the average costs and returns for grapefruit

produced in Jamaica with those that would likely prevail in

Florida under the various scenarios. Several interesting

observations can be made with respect to the data presented in

Table 8. First, under all scenarios considered, Florida yields

were greater than those in Jamaica. In the worst-case scenario

in Florida in which there is the presence of canker and high

greening (scenario 3), the expected yield is 261 boxes per acre

compare with 240 boxes per acre in Jamaica. Second, the

average cost of production on a per acre basis is considerably

less in Jamaica than in Florida. For example the lowest per

acre cost of production in Florida at $1,133 (in a situation in

which neither of the diseases is present) is still more than twice

that in Jamaica ($500 per acre). The low cost of production in

Jamaica is due mainly to the availability of cheap labor relative

the prices paid in the US. The hourly wage rate for an

agricultural worker in Jamaica is about US $1.10 per hour

compared with agricultural wages paid in the US of about $10

per hour. However, when costs are expressed on a per box

basis, most of the cost advantage enjoyed by Jamaica

disappears due to the relatively low yields in Jamaica. Hence,

the per box cost for Florida in a no disease situation and that

for Jamaica are $3.12 and $2.08, respectively. Third, there is a

noticeable disparity between the net returns to growers in

Jamaica and those in Florida. In the case of Florida, the

average net returns range from $2.69 per box where neither of

the diseases considered is present to a high of $5.87 per box

where both diseases are present. In comparison, the current

average net returns to the growers in Jamaica were estimated at

42 cents per box. By adding value through the sale of fresh

grapefruits in the EU, returns to Jamaican growers can be

increased substantially.

Concluding Remarks

The bleak prospect for the Florida citrus industry serves as a

reminder of the importance of preventing the introduction of

invasive species. The introduction and spread of such pests and

diseases, as is the case in point, has the potential to destroy the

whole industry or cause massive losses. While certainly an

unwelcome development for the Florida citrus industry, as was

the situation with the outbreak of BSE in UK and the

subsequent expansion of cattle industry in Australia, it does

present a potential marketing opportunity for countries such as

Jamaica which are in the citrus belt and where the diseases are

not present.

Our preliminary assessment of the market potential for

Jamaica's exports of grapefruit to the EU suggests that the

prospects are promising from several perspectives. First, all

situations examined with regards to the Florida grapefruit

industry points to a bleak future for that country's industry and

suggests that these developments are likely to cause grapefruit

prices to remain relatively high in the EU market over the long

term. Second, Jamaica enjoys a cost advantage over the US.

The country has certain comparative and other advantages that

make it ideally suited for large-scale citrus production. These

include the availability of low-cost labor, low incidence of

plant diseases, adequate hours of sunlight, a climate that

allowsmany horticultural crops to provide two harvests a year,

adequate rainfall in citrus areas, and access to ports and foreign

markets. In addition, the country currently benefits from

preferential treatment in the EU. While it is true that current

yields in Jamaica are relatively low, this should be seen as a

positive since it implies that there is considerable scope for

improving productivity. Third, suitable lands for large-scale

planting of grapefruit trees are likely to become available as

the country reduces its reliance on sugar and banana

production.

Notwithstanding the above, we are fully aware that the citrus

industry and markets are complex and that any sustained price

increases could encourage others to participate in the market.

Also, the intent of our analysis was not to predict the numbers

precisely but to show the general long-term direction of prices

in the EU market. It therefore goes without saying that any

serious investments contemplated by the government or the

industry should rest on a detailed investigation of the EU

markets.

References

FAOSTAT Online. http://faostat.fao.org

Pana-Cryan, Regina (1991). "A Model of the World Market for Fresh

and Processed Grapefruit." Unpublished M.S. Thesis, Food and

Resource Economics Department, University of Florida, Gainesville,

FL.

Reynolds, J.E. (2006). "Strong Nonagricultural Demand Keeps

Agricultural Land Values Increasing." Electronic Data Information

Source (EDIS) FE625. Food and Resource Economics Department,

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (January). Available online at

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE625.

Schubert T.S., S.A. Rizvi, X. Sun, T.R. Gottwald, J.H. Graham, and

W. N. Dixon (2001). "Meeting the Challenge of Eradicating Citrus

Canker in Florida-Again" Plant Disease Vol. 85, No 4.

SCIENCE (2006). "New Disease Endangers Florida's Already-

Suffering Citrus Trees" Science Vol. 312, 28 April 2006. Available

online at http://www.sciencemag.org.

Spreen, T.H, R.E. Barber, M.G. Brown, A.W. Hodges, J.C. Malugen,

W.D. Mulkey, R.P. Muraro, R.P. Norberg, M. Rahmani, F.M. Roka,

and R.E. Rouse. 2006. An Economic Assessment of the Future

Prospects for the Florida Citrus Industry. Food and Resource

Economics Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/economic_assess_flciturus.indus.pdf

USDA (2006). USDA Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook 2006. FTS-320.

United States Department of Agriculture, Washington D.C. (January).

http://usda.mannlibcornell.edu/reports/erssor/specialty/fts-

bb/2006/fts325.pdf.Citrus greening has not been detected in Jamaica even though the psyllid vector that

transmits the causative organism is present in the country (personal communication

with Dr. Florence Young)

9 ARTICLES

Table 3. World grapefruit and pomelos top importers (metric tons), 2000-2004

Country/

Region 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average

EU 640,670 578,728 620,560 589,388 601,123 606,094

Japan 272,278 268,650 284,687 274,328 288,510 277,691

Canada 55,194 53,036 57,476 50,696 50,788 53,438

US 10,040 25,221 23,248 20,710 13,737 18,591

Turkey 0 1,995 12,668 10,267 11,367 7,259

China 17,461 16,646 19,041 10,491 11,289 14,986

China, Hong

Kong 16,152 14,423 21,017 15,307 10,899 15,560

ROW 40,790 44,003 41,253 57,514 47,895 46,291

Total 1,052,585 1,002,702 1,079,950 1,028,701 1,035,608 1,039,909

Note: ROW represents the rest of the world

Source: FAOSTAT data, 2006

Table 4. US grapefruit exports by destination (metric tons), 2000-2005

Country/

Region 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Average

Japan 206,284 195,871 209,479 181,752 190,703 88,203 178,715

EU 115,437 116,867 114,920 102,104 85,762 56,070 98,527

Canada 49,230 48,057 50,607 44,264 41,256 34,612 44,671

Korea 2,930 1,870 7,905 6,917 7,684 10,404 6,285

Mexico 75 283 554 316 1,483 6,406 1,519

ROW 17,212 20,105 23,529 24,945 21,133 18,537 20,910

Total 391,167 383,052 406,995 360,298 348,021 214,231 350,627

Note: ROW represents the rest of the world

Source: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, BICO Report

Table 5. Average on-tree prices received by Florida growers ($ per 85-lb box), 2001-02 through

2005-06

Month 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06

October 6.46 5.37 6.98 15.00 --

November 3.64 3.61 4.49 15.95 9.20

December 2.69 2.67 3.90 14.58 9.37

January 2.76 2.42 3.32 15.30 10.99

February 2.10 2.18 3.10 13.48 11.07

March 1.85 1.80 2.74 11.54 --

April 1.61 1.37 2.12 10.46 --

May 1.37 1.24 2.38 10.48 --

Average

(October-February) 3.53 3.25 4.36 14.86 10.16

Note: -- Represents data not available

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

Table 6. Average wholesale prices for Florida grapefruit in selected EU markets ($ per 85-lb box),

2001-02 through 2005-06

Month 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06

October 31.75 35.13 43.86 -- --

November 26.45 32.17 36.68 48.55 54.30

December 27.00 30.01 35.36 50.72 53.09

January 25.30 30.45 34.14 48.53 51.29

February 28.11 32.35 33.13 49.63 47.70

March 27.19 33.02 33.98 50.80 46.78

April 26.91 33.52 34.54 49.40 49.11

May 29.00 36.88 34.42 50.86 49.91

Average

(October-February) 27.72 32.02 36.63 49.36 51.60

Note: Represents data not available. EU markets include Hamburg (Germany), Paris (France), and

Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Source: Compiled by authors, data were obtained from USDA Fruit and Vegetable Market News

Table 7. Grapefruit long-run projections on Florida fresh/processed on-tree price and average market

price for Florida grapefruit in selected EU markets by scenario ($ per box), 2006-07 season through

2020-21 season

Scenario 1 (Canker only)

Scenario 2 (Canker and low

greening)

Scenario 3 (Canker and high

greening)

Scenario 4 (Canker, low greening,

and higher land values) Season On-tree

price

EU market

price

On-tree

price

EU market

price

On-tree

price

EU market

price

On-tree

price

EU market

price

2006-07 7.09 40.10 7.09 40.10 7.10 40.12 7.09 40.10

2007-08 7.26 40.40 7.26 40.40 7.27 40.42 7.26 40.40

2008-09 7.74 41.25 7.74 41.25 7.75 41.27 7.74 41.25

2009-10 8.32 42.28 8.34 42.32 8.38 42.39 8.34 42.32

2010-11 8.90 43.31 8.98 43.45 9.13 43.72 8.98 43.45

2011-12 9.40 44.20 9.70 44.73 10.21 45.63 9.76 44.83

2012-13 9.62 44.59 10.33 45.85 11.47 47.87 10.52 46.18

2013-14 9.68 44.69 10.88 46.82 12.80 50.23 11.26 47.50

2014-15 9.56 44.48 11.29 47.55 13.98 52.32 11.90 48.63

2015-16 9.17 43.79 11.38 47.71 14.78 53.74 12.25 49.25

2016-17 8.62 42.81 11.24 47.46 15.17 54.43 12.36 49.45

2017-18 7.86 41.47 10.78 46.64 15.02 54.16 12.10 48.98

2018-19 7.00 39.94 10.08 45.40 14.40 53.06 11.54 47.99

2019-20 6.10 38.34 9.22 43.88 13.39 51.27 10.75 46.59

2020-21 5.20 36.75 8.25 42.16 12.08 48.95 9.76 44.83

Note: EU markets include Hamburg (Germany), Paris (France), and Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Source: Average market prices in selected EU markets are estimated by authors. Data were obtained

from USDA Fruit and Vegetable Market News. On-tree prices are from Spreen et al. (2006)

Table 2. World grapefruit and pomelos top exporters (metric tons), 2000-2004

Country/Region 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average

US 398,762 397,572 427,097 387,302 370,823 396,311

South Africa 133,570 129,335 165,725 177,453 197,682 160,753

EU 199,447 176,669 188,209 191,040 189,500 188,973

Turkey 85,181 73,131 102,768 86,703 116,632 92,883

Israel 110,319 69,408 44,050 88,986 57,241 74,001

ROW 110,221 133,640 119,537 142,307 145,546 130,250

Total 1,037,500 979,755 1,047,386 1,073,791 1,077,424 1,043,171

Note: ROW represents the rest of the world

Source: FAOSTAT data, 2006

Table 1. World grapefruit and pomelos top producers (metric tons), 2000-2005

Country/

Region 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Average

US 2,505,640 2,233,490 2,199,020 1,871,520 1,964,050 914,440 1,948,027

China 268,128 323,296 356,786 400,840 433,000 443,000 370,842

Mexico 263,126 319,793 269,069 257,711 257,711 257,711 270,854

Israel 246,000 329,500 251,900 255,900 247,000 250,000 263,383

Cuba 443,705 302,487 137,312 227,800 225,000 226,000 260,384

ROW 1,600,958 1,553,788 1,604,238 1,576,544 1,579,272 1,570,161 1,580,827

Total 5,327,557 5,062,354 4,818,325 4,590,315 4,706,033 3,661,312 4,694,316

Note: ROW represents the rest of the world

Source: FAOSTAT data, 2006

10 FACT SHEETS

Site Selection

Passionfruit vines require full sunlight for proper growth. It is best

grown in areas with annual rainfall of at least 900 mm. Passionfruit

may be grown on a wide range of soil types, but the best suited

soils are light to heavy sandy loams of medium texture having a pH

range of 6.5 to 7.5. The plant needs good drainage. Vines will not

tolerate waterlogged conditions for long periods. The passionfruit

vine grows better in areas that are protected from the wind.

Land Preparation

Land preparation may be conducted one to two months before

planting the vines. The land must first be cleared. This produces

green mulch that can be incorporated back into the soil when

ploughing and rotovating. This ensures a quick and even

establishment of vines. Soil analysis should be conducted and all

necessary adjustments made before planting. Ploughing in organic

matter to soil is beneficial. Organic mulch can be added around

these vines because they are shallow rooted.

Plant Propagation

Seeds, cuttings, grafts or layering can be used to propagate

Passionfruit vines. The first three methods are most commonly

used.

Propagation by Seed

The seeds are planted 1.5 cms deep on a sterile seed bed and are

transplanted into individual bags containing potting mix and ½ a

teaspoon of slow release fertilizer at the three leaf stage. Plantlets

are grown under shaded conditions are hardened before being

transplanted into the field. It takes 6 to 8 weeks from the time of

sowing to transplanting in the field.

Propagation by Cuttings

Cuttings are taken from vigorous, actively growing vines. Roots

should develop in 4 weeks after preparation. Then it should be

treated similar to seedlings. Plants from rooted cuttings are less

vigorous than seedlings and could be planted at a closer spacing

than seedlings.

Trellis Construction

Trellises are required for the commercial production of passionfruit.

Trellises contribute most to the cost of production of the crop and

should be constructed properly. Trellises should be constructed in

the same direction with the wind wherever possible. On sloping

terrain, trellises should be constructed across the slope. Trellises are

required for the commercial production of passionfruit. Trellises

contribute most to the cost of production of the crop and should be

constructed properly.

Transplanting to the Field

Plants are transplanted during the cooler part of the day (early

morning or late evening).

Training of Vines

One or two vigorous leaders are selected and trained to the top

wire.

Water Management

Irrigation is needed in areas where the annual rainfall is below 1200

mm per year. Regular watering will keep vines flowering and

fruiting continuously.

Weed Control

Weeds in a passionfruit orchard could be controlled manually or by

chemical means. Although manual weed control is more costly, it is

preferred.

Nutrient Requirement

Before planting, soil analyses should be conducted to determine

whether the pH should be adjusted and the soil nutrient status.

Pruning

The pruning of passionfruit vines is conducted in order to reduce

the level of pests and diseases and to encourage new vine growth.

Heavy pruning should only be performed once per year, after the

July to September crop. Since pruning tools are means by which

diseases are spread they should therefore be kept clean.

purple passion fruit flower

The passionfruit is a vigorous,

shallow rooted, perennial vine

that climbs by means of tendrils.

There are two types of

passionfruit. They are the

yellow passionfruit (Passiflora

edulis forma flavicarpa) which

is suited to tropical conditions,

and the purple passionfruit

(Passiflora edulis forma edulis)

which grows best under sub-

tropical conditions. The yellow

passionfruit is tolerant to most

of the soil borne pests and

diseases that affect the purple

type, and is more prolific,

bearing larger, heavier fruit with

more juice, which has a higher

acid content than the purple

type. The flavour of the purple

type is preferred over that of the

yellow type. Passion fruit and flower on vine

PASSION FRUIT

Extracted from: Saint Lucia Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and

Fisheries, Crop Development Information Centrewww.slumaffe.org/Agriculture/Crop_Development/Passionfruit/passionfruit.html

11ARTICLES

Pollination

Most cultivars of yellow passionfruit are self-incompatible

therefore cross-pollination is necessary. Some natural pollinators of

passionfruit in St. Lucia are the Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina)

and the honeybee (Apis millifera). It has been proven that hand

pollination increases fruit yield in passionfruit.

Pest and Disease Control

Pests and diseases may attack plants as early as the nursery stage.

Caterpillars and slugs may attack the plants, while fungi may cause

damping-off and loss of plants. Slug bait should be spread around

seedling or a liquid slug control could be incorporated into the

fungicide drenches (benomyl) for the control of damping-off. An

insecticide is sprayed at the recommended rate every two to four

weeks for caterpillar control. Both insect and fungal problems in

passionfruit could be controlled through proper cultural practices

and chemical sprays.

Harvesting

A passionfruit orchard may have a life span of 3-5 years. There are

two major seasons of production, June to August and November to

January. Fruits are harvested when they have dropped to the

ground. Green or immature fruits should not be picked off the vine

as they will not ripen, they will also be off flavored and have a

higher concentration of cyanogenic glycosides (a toxin produced by

the vine). Fruits should be collected 2 to 3 times per week.

Processing

Passion fruits are processed into juices, which are sold either in

single strength or as frozen concentrates. The passion fruit juice is

also used in the production of cordials, alcoholic beverages, ice

creams, and confectionery and mixed fruit blends.

The passion fruit's rich and distinctive flavour can be found in

several products around the Caribbean. Passion fruit juice is

well-known in most Caribbean homes and some of the islands

produce a commercial brand of the juice. The fruit is also used

as a key ingredient in ice-creams, jams and jellies and even tea.

Though the fruit is more commonly used as an essential

ingredient in food and beverages, it is also now being used in

spa products that are produced in the region - such as the

Herbal Light Moisturizer - with cucumber, passion fruit and

SPF, produced by Cher-Mère in their anti-ageing skin care line

of products.

Samples of passion fruit products from the Caribbean: tea, juice

and facial moisturizer.

A PASSION FOR PASSION

Examples of various stages in the processing of passion fruit at a passion fruit farm in Panama.

The Annual Christian Valley Mango festival is fast-becoming a

popular fixture on Antigua and Barbuda's events calendar. The

event is held at the Christian Valley Government Station,

which holds the country’s premiere collection of mature fruit

tree varieties. Christian Valley boasts a 40 acre orchard of

mango, citrus fruits, avocado, guava, Malay apple, cashew,

breadfruit, soursop, and many curious tropical fruits.

The first ever Mango Festival in Antigua and Barbuda was

held in August 2006 under the theme Identifying new

possibilities: Agriculture and Agro-tourism Development in

Antigua and Barbuda. The main aim of the Mango Festival

was to promote the utilization of mangoes and other fruits as

well as to support the rejuvenation of the station.

The first main activity for the Festival took place at the

Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute in

Coolidge. This was the Magic Mango Menu Competition, for

chefs, sous chefs and bartenders from the members of the

Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association. The inaugural

competition was a testing event and the competition is now

open to all chefs and bartenders in Antigua and Barbuda in the

future. The aim of the competition is for bartenders and chefs

to prepare food and drink in creative ways using mangoes or

other local fruits. Four categories included: Appetizer, Main

dish, Dessert, and Drinks with an additional award for the most

innovative use of mangoes.

The Agro-processors Competition for the IICA Most

Outstanding Agro-Processor Award was held in collaboration

with IICA, the Food Sub-committee of the Mango Festival

Committee, and the Ministry of Agriculture. Seven processors

participated. The aim of the award: "to promote the

development of the agro-industry, through the greater

utilization of local commodities". The items included, but

were not limited to mango and included the following

categories: non-food and food, the latter was sub-divided into:

jam/marmalade, jelly, sauce, chutney, drink and other. Judging

criteria were: innovation of the product, use of local raw

materials, attractiveness of the product, appeal to the senses

and product display.

The Antigua Mango FestivalMarketing mangoes - Antiguan style

Denise Martin, 2nd place winner, displays

her products.

Gloria David, 3rd place winner, with her

creations.

Other activities of the festival included:

- Budding and Grafting Workshops

- Sales of agro-processed products

- Agro-processors competition

- The Sweetest Mango Film

- Sales of fruits and plants

- Live Entertainment

- Nature Trail Tours

- Local Storytelling

- Book Sale

- Food stalls benefiting:

Mama Lollies

Bolans Community Groups

Jennings Community Groups

Home Economics Teachers Assoc.

Other Private Individuals.

O'Della Spooner, 1st place winner, and

Mr. Charlesworth Samuel, Minister of

Agriculture.

12

WITH ONGOING SUPPORT FROM IICA, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

AGRO PROCESSORS SHINE AGAINJulie Ann Laudat, IICA Office in Antigua

The second Annual Mango Festival was held in July 2007 under

the theme : Mango: it's simply the best! There was a greater

selection of mangoes this year due to the change in dates.

Visitors to the festival left happier.

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

(IICA) sponsored the "Best Agro-processors Award

Competition" for the second time. There were nine competitors

this year, with two entries each.

The products were both creative and attractively displayed. All

participants were members of the Agro-processors Association

and the team of judges included: Grace Cephas Lewis of the

Ministry of Agriculture, Ms Jeannette Hunte of the Home

Economics Association and Mr. Julian Waterer of Chefs World.

The winners by category were:

For more information on Christman Valley Mango Festival check: http://www.antiguamangofest.com/

Overall winners of the Best Agro-processors Award were:

Some of the winning items on display

1st Place Rosemarie McMaster Susie's Hot Sauce

2nd Place Gloria David Sister Glo's

3rd Place Denise Martin Denise's Tropical Delights

Category Winner Business Name Product

Hot sauces Odella Spooner Picante Peppers Mango hot sauce

Preserves (jam/jellies/marmalade

chutney/butter) Gladys Bailey Mango butter

Drinks and drink concentrate Crystal Lynne Lynne's Tamarind concentrate

Dried fruits Novella Payne Grandma Aki Dried raspberry

Ice-cream (special entry) Crystal Lynne Lynne's Mango ice-cream

Cakes and pastries Gloria David Sister Glo's Mango cake

13

14 ARTICLES

The avocado pear, belonging to the plant group Persea americana,

is commonly known in Jamaica simply as "pears". It is a native of

the Tropical Americas, and flourishes in areas with over 15 cm (60

inches) of rain fall per annum, at between 55 and 550 metres

elevation.

Varieties:

Most common varieties grown are:

Simmonds (in-season variety, i.e. ripening in the summer months,

and Collinson, Lula (out-of season variety, i.e. ripening in

December-February).

Fruit Structure

The fruit is generally pear-shaped, and the edible part is a thick

layer of greenish-yellow pulp. It is contained between the skin and

the large seed.

Nutritional Composition (1 fruit, size 76.2 mm in diameter)

Water -284 grams (74%) Food Energy -370 Cal.

Protein -5 grams Fat -37* grams

Saturated fat - 7 grams Oleic acid -17 grams

Linoleic acid -5 grams Carbohydrate -13 grams

Calcium-22 mg Iron-1.3 mg

Vitamin-630 IU Riboflavin-0.43 mg

Niacin-3.5 mg Ascorbic acid-30 mg

The avocado fruit is therefore a fat storing structure.

QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPORT

Minimum requirements

The fruits must be clean, i.e. free from adhering soil and insects

Mature, i.e. not ripe or soft, but at the stage which will allow the

fruits to ripen normally and arrive at the market with the desired

degree of ripeness.

They must be of similar varietal characteristics, i.e. all fruits in any

one lot must be of the same variety, must be similar in shape,

texture, and skin colour.

Must be well trimmed, i.e. the stem ( pedicel) is cut off fairly

smooth with not more than 6.4 mm beyond the shoulder of the fruit.

Grade requirement

Grade 1

Fruits should be well coloured, i.e. the colour characteristic of the

variety.

Well formed, i.e. the fruit has the shape characteristic of the variety.

Free from damage, i.e. any defects that seriously affect the

appearance, edibility, or shipping quality of the fruits; or the

general appearance of

the avocadoes in the container, e.g. sunburn, scars, or bruises.

Size classification

Fruits should be classified by size according to the following

definitions:

Uniformed in appearance, I.e. not more than 10% of packages shall

contain fruits which show sufficient variation in size to detract from

the appearance of the individual packages. The variation from the

average length should not be greater than 3 mm.

Post Harvest Treatment

Graded fruits should be wiped with a cloth containing 1% bleach

solution, to remove debris and to disinfect the fruit. All insects such

as mealy bugs or other, should be removed by use of a soft brush.

A post harvest dip treatment in a solution of 0.1% Benlate (1 gm

per litre) may assist in reducing fungal decay.

Packaging

Fruits should be placed in single layers in strong cardboard boxes

with separators. Alternately, each fruit can be wrapped in tissue to

improve presentation on the market and to reduce fruit to fruit

rubbing.

Shredded paper placed in the base of the carton assists in reducing

the level of damage during handling.

Field containers should be of 22 kg capacity and market containers

no more than 12 kg capacity.

Do not use bags (fertilizer or crocus) to package these fruits, as this

will lead to squeezing and squashing damage. Also bags are easily

thrown and dropped, which will lead to damage of the fruits.

Field crates are preferable to bags for transport from the field to

pack-house, or shed.

Do not leave packages exposed to the sun and wind. This will lead

to the reduction of the storage/shelf life of the fruits.

Transportation

Packaged avocadoes should be placed separate from other types of

fruits as they are sensitive to the ripening chemical, ethylene.

Stacking height of the boxes should be kept to a minimum of 8-10

boxes high in order to prevent compression damage.

Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Jamaica

www.radajamaica.com.jm

POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF AVOCADO 1

15ARTICLES

Storage

All West Indian cultivars are susceptible to chilling injury at low

temperatures. Best storage temperature is 12-13ºC and 85- 95%

RH for green mature fruits resulting in a maximum storage

period of two (2) weeks. At ambient temperature, storage life is

reduced to 3-5 days.

POST HARVEST DISORDERS

1. Chilling Injury

Common symptoms are a dark-brown or grey discolouration of

the flesh, scalding and pitting of the skin. Fruit may not ripen

properly on removal from storage.

2. Anthracnone

This is a latent fungal infection caused by the organism

colletotrichum gloeosporioedes. This is commonly found on

maturing fruits. First sign of the disease is small light brown

circular discolourations on the skin of the fruit. As the fruit

matures, the spots enlarge changing colour to dark brown or

black with a sunken appearance. The fungus enters the flesh and

pink spore masses are seen.

3. Stem-end rot

This disease is caused by dothiorella spp-a dark-brown to black

rot develops at the stem end of the ripening fruit as a firm dark

brown ring and proceeds to the other end of the fruit.

Remember

To obtain maximum profits from your crop, you must therefore

ensure that:

Only sound, good quality fruits are placed on the market;

Ripened fruits are placed in a different box or basket from green

fruits.

Care must be taken in harvesting and; Fruits must be handled

with care from the farm to the market place.

Low temperature management is essential to maintain good

quality.

Remember that one of the important strategies of Fresh Produce

Marketing is good customer relationship.

A good quality product will result in repetitive purchasing of

goods from the dependable source.

HARVESTING

The fruit never ripens completely on the tree, but continues to

enlarge in size. A fruit will only ripen after it is detached

(harvested) from the tree.

MATURITY STAGE

Good quality fruit is obtained when harvesting is done at the

proper stage of maturity. Immature fruits will fail to ripen,

shrivel rapidly, and also decay rapidly.

Most mature fruits are fairly large in size, with the skin colour

becoming light green or yellowish green, and the surface sheen

becomes dull in appearance. This condition is easily recognized

by experienced farmers. On a large farm, the oil content of the

fruits is measured by chemical analysis to determine the

minimum standard acceptable for the market. This level varies in

different varies.

HARVESTING METHOD

Fruit should be harvested from the tree by a quick twist of the

pedicel which will detach the mature fruits. The pedicel should

then be clipped to prevent damage to other fruits.

Do not knock fruits off the tree. This will cause bruising and

bursting of the fruit. Therefore fruits should be picked by using a

pole or by hand. The picking pole can be made of bamboo or

some light wood provided with a cloth or crocus bag and a notch

with an inner sharpened edge at the end. The bag is used to hold

the fruit until the pick is brought to the ground and the fruit

removed. Depending on the size of the bag, a maximum of three

(3) limbs can be picked.

Hand-pickers standing on a ladder can also be used to harvest

tall trees. On a large farms, a platform mechanized system,

elevating hand-pickers into the trees provide an efficient mode

of harvesting.

POSTHARVEST ACTIVITIES

"Pears" are highly susceptible to the postharvest development of

latent fungal infections, therefore extreme care must be taken in

preventing damage to the fruits.

Do not throw or drop fruits in the field. Remember that damaged

fruits must be separated from sound fruits if not, rapid spoilage

will take place. Damaged fruits ripen much faster than sound

fruits.

That only good quality fruits will fetch a good price on the

market.

Consumers prefer to purchase green, mature avocadoes in

order to obtain the best eating quality and some degree of

storage/shelf life.

Ripe avocados deteriorate rapidly at high temperatures and

therefore exhibit a short shelf-life.

Also the level of mechanical injury for avocadoes is high.

i.

ii.

iii.

iv.

For more information contact:

Mrs. Janette Lawrence

Marketing Manager

Marketing Extension Unit

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)

Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica, W.I.

Email: rada@cwjamaica.com

Web: www.radajamaica.com.jm

16 ARTICLES

It is used in making ice cream and sherbets, jelly, tarts, syrup and

nectar. Immature fruits are cooked as vegetables or used in soup in

Indonesia. Seeds are roasted or fried in Brazil. The leaves are used

as a tea to prevent high blood pressure, stomach disorders and for

treatment of fevers. The tea can also be used for cleaning floors

and destroying fleas. The seeds contain oil used for paint and as an

insecticide.

Two characteristics that cause the soursop fruit to be highly

perishable are:-

Its high rate of respiration, and

Its susceptibility to physical damage

HARVESTING

The fruit is picked when fully developed and still firm but lack-

lustre and may be slightly yellow-green in colour. In addition,

optimum maturity is determined by the spacing of the spines on the

surface of the fruit. These spines become further and further apart

as growth occurs. It has been found that when approximately 6-7

spines span 12 cm² , the fruit can be considered to be mature.

Fruits must be reaped early in the morning or late evening to

prevent the build-up of field heat. Fruits are harvested using knives

and then lowered to the ground. Soursor should never be knocked

from the tree.

Fruits should not be allowed to ripen or become soft on the trees as

they will fall and crush. The fruit must be handled with care to

avoid bruising.

SORTING AND GRADING

All damaged fruits must be removed as these might become sources

of ethylene gas which will increase the rate of ripening. All

immature fruits should also be removed as due to their high

respiration rate will affect the rate of ripening of the mature fruits.

Soursop can be graded based on shape and size to enhance

packaging and presentation.

PRE-COOLING

This is necessary due to the high respiration rate of the soursop

fruit. This process is necessary to:-

ORIGIN

The soursop is a native fruit of tropical North and South America. It

belongs to the family Annonaceae which includes about 100 species

of trees and shrubs. The soursop is among the four (4) best known

species that produce edible fruits. The other species are sweetsop,

custard apple and cherimoya. It is know by the name guanabana,

corrosol, suirsaak and other in different tropical parts of the world

CHARACTERISTICS

The soursop tree is a small evergreen usually growing from 5 to 9m

(15 - 30 ft) high. The simple oval leaves are leathery, glossy and

dark green in colour. They have a characteristic pungent odor when

crushed.

In the last five (5) years (1995-2000), approximately, 1700 kg kg of

soursop was exported from the island as fresh fruits to the United

States of America, Canada and other Caribbean islands. In addition,

small volumes are now being used in the fruit juice and puree

industry in the making of ice cream and other frozen delicacies,

also jams and jellies.

With the further growth of the Agro-industry and the new

awareness of the consumer to the use of natural juices and their

products, the demand for the soursop fruit has increased and

therefore the need for the small farmers to improve their existing

cultivation and increase the acreage under production.

Some segments contain oval, smooth, hard, black seeds which are

toxic.

The soursop tree bears fruit continuously after 3-4 years of age with

little care and produces several crops throughout the year.

USES

The pulp is eaten as well as can be cut into bits and added to fruit

cup or salads, or chilled and served as dessert with sugar and a little

milk or cream.

Soursop drinks are very popular to all West Indians and Latin

Americans.

In Dominican Republic, a soursop custard is made and a confection

is also made by cooking soursop pulp in sugar syrup with cinnamon

and lemon peel.

Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Jamaica

www.radajamaica.com.jm

POSTHARVEST HANDLING OF SOURSOP 1

Calories

Moisture

Protein

Fat

Carbohydrate

Ash

Tryptophan

Calcium

Phosphorous

Iron

61.3 - 53.1*

82.8g

1.00g

0.97g

14.63g

60g

11mg

10.3g

27.7g

0.64g

Vitamin A (B-carotene)

Thimaine

Riboflavin

Niacin

Ascorbic Acid

Amino Acid

Methionine

Lynsine

0

0.11mg

0.05mg

1.28mg

29.6mg

7mg

60mg

FOOD VALUES PER 100G OF EDIBLE PORTION

reduce rapidly the field heat, and

reduce the temperature of the fruit as quickly as possible to the

required storage temperature. Hence the fruits should be removed

immediately out of the field after being reaped.

1)

2)

17ARTICLE

FIELD PACKAGING

Soursop should be collected carefully into shallow carton boxes or

lined wooden boxes and baskets to prevent physical damage. Also

the fruits should be separated from each other by use of soft

material.

Be careful in the use of dried grass and banana leaves as these may

contain pieces of sticks or prickles and insects which can damage

the fruits. The use of bags and sacks is prohibited as it results in

bruising and mechanical damage to the fruits.

TEMPORARY STORAGE

A mature fruit will store for a few days (2-3) at room temperature.

This time is further enhanced if the fruits are stored on racks in a

cool shed as the reduced temperature of the environment will

reduce the rate of ripening.

PACKHOUSE HANDLING

Quality Standards

Minimum requirements

All fruits should be:-

Clean, i.e. free from adhering soil, foreign matter or chemical

residue;

Fresh, i.e. no signs of shriveling;

Firm and mature;

Sound and without physical damage;

Free fro m insect damage;

Free from presence of insects eg. Scale insects.

Grade requirements

To date none has been developed but all exporting fruits should

meet the minimum requirements as well as (1) of uniform shape

and size, (2) The stem should be attached and cut at the abscission

point, about 2.5 cm long.

HANDLING PRACTICE IN PACKHOUSE

Fruits must be further graded to remove any damaged fruits.

Fruits must be lightly brushed to remove any insects or other

extraneous matter.

PACKAGING

Fruits should be packed in single layers into one piece or half

telescopic fiber board cartons. Internal packaging is recommended

to prevent fruit to fruit rubbing or puncturing. Shredded paper or

vertical dividers are used. Where staples are used in construction of

the cartons, care should be taken to ensure complete staple closure.

COLD STORAGE

Fruits should not be stored below 12°C as they are susceptible to

chilling injury.

Signs of chilling injury are:-

Localised blackened, soft spots;

Dicolouration of the tissue (peel);

Failure to ripen normally when returned to ambient conditions;

This temperature provides a storage life of approximately 1-2

weeks.

Fruits should not be stored for over 24 hours either at ambient or

cold temperature, prior to export, as:

Proper preharvest and postharvest care of your produce will

guarantee good market prices as our product is unique and will be

able to compete on the overseas market.

GRADE RQUIREMENTS: for U.K., Holland, U.S.A. and Canada

Small : 0.7 - 1.2kg (1.5 - 2. 5lbs.)

Medium : 1.2 - 2.0kg (2.5 - 4. 4lbs)

Large : 2.0 - 3.0kg (4.4 - 6.6lbs)

For more information contact:

Mrs. Janette Lawrence

Marketing Manager

Marketing Extension Unit

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA)

Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica, W.I.

Email: rada@cwjamaica.com

Web: www.radajamaica.com.jm

At ambient, the fruits would have started to ripen and shrivel

therefore reducing their saleability.

At cold, as fruits are usually air freighted resulting in heavy

condensation due to the warming up of the fruits and therefore

creating the right environment for fungal development.

i

ii

a.k.a. Malacca apple, malay apple, mountain apple,

otaheite apple, plum rose, pomarosa, pomerac,

pomme malac.

A very beautiful fruit, usually deep red in color, pear

shaped, with a waxy skin, about the size of an apple.

Flesh is crunchy, often juicy, with a mild sweet flavor.

Some varieties have white or pink skin. The juicy, shiny

red fruit has one large seed. This fruit makes an

excellent jam when stewed with brown sugar and ginger

as well as a tasty chutney and is also used to make juice

and wine. Trees are medium to large sized, growing to

over 60 ft in some areas. They usually require little care

other than year-round water. Flowering usually occurs in

early summer followed by fruit ripening 3 months later.

Propagation: Often by seeds which loose viability

quickly. Superior varieties are propagated via budding,

air-layering, and cuttings.

TROPICAL FRUIT "PICK"

Pommerac (Syzygium malaccense)

Fruit Flower

ARTICLES18

Mango vs Cantaloupe

Except for potassium, an equivalent amount of mango provides

more of the selected nutrients compared with cantaloupe.

Nutritional Highlights of Selected Fruits

The Caribbean abounds with a variety of locally-produced and

imported fruits and vegetables. There is however, a tendency for

some persons to prefer the imported produce due to lack of

knowledge of the nutritional contribution. Locally produced

fruits and vegetables are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals

compared with common imported selections. Some examples

are:

Apple vs Guava

Who has not heard the adage, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor

away?' This is probably because the apple has fibre to facilitate

gut health and rid the body of waste. But one guava has less

calories and carbohydrate but is richer in fibre, vitamin C and

potassium, compared with an apple.

Apple versus West Indian Cherry

It takes many apples to supply the vitamin C content of the same

amount of West Indian cherries.

Grapes vs Guava

In comparison to a bunch of grapes, one guava has much more

vitamin C, fibre and potassium than the grapes.

Food

Apple,

medium

(100g)

Guava,

medium

whole

(100g)

Kcal

59

51

Carbohydrate

(g)

15.3

11.9

Dietary Fibre

(g)

0.8 (crude)

5.6

Vit. C

(mg)

6

184

Potassium

(mg)

115

284

Food

Apple,

medium

(100g)

WI

Cherry

(100g)

Kcal

59

32

Carbohydrate

(g)

15.3

7.7

Dietary Fibre

(g)

0.8 (crude)

0.4 (crude)

Vit. C

(mg)

6

1677

Potassium

(mg)

115

146

Food

Grapes

(100g)

Guava

medium

whole

(100g)

Kcal

63

51

Carbohydrate

(g)

17.2

11.9

Dietary Fibre

(g)

0.8 (crude)

5.6

Vit. C

(mg)

4

184

Potassium

(mg)

191

284

Food

Mango,

ripe

(100g)

cantaloupe

(100g)

Kcal

65

35

Carbohydrate

(g)

17.0

14.5

Dietary Fibre

(g)

1.08

1.0 (crude)

Vit. C

(mg)

25

11

Potassium

(mg)

120

309

Vitamin

A

R.E.

389

322

Extracted from Cajanus (CFNI). Vol. 39 No. 1, 2006

Nutritional and health benefits of citrus fruits

Citrus fruits have long been valued as part of a nutritious and

tasty diet. The flavours provided by citrus are among the most

preferred in the world, and it is increasingly evident that citrus

not only tastes good, but is also good for people. It is well

established that citrus and citrus products are a rich source of

vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre (non-starch polysaccharides)

that are essential for normal growth and development and overall

nutritional well-being. However, it is now beginning to be

appreciated that these and other biologically active, non-nutrient

compounds found in citrus and other plants (phytochemicals)

can also help to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Where

appropriate, dietary guidelines and recommendations that

encourage the consumption of citrus fruit and their products can

lead to widespread nutritional benefits across the population.

Citrus is most commonly thought of as a good source of vitamin

C. However, like most other whole foods, citrus fruits also

contain an impressive list of other essential nutrients, including

both glycaemic and non-glycaemic carbohydrate (sugars and

fibre), potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6,

phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and

a variety of phytochemicals. In addition, citrus contains no fat or

sodium and, being a plant food, no cholesterol. The average

energy value of fresh citrus is also low, which can be very

important for consumers concerned about putting on excess body

weight. For example a medium orange contains 60 to 80 kcal, a

grapefruit 90 kcal and a tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice only 4

kcal (Whitney and Rolfes, 1999). Citrus fruits are equally

valuable among populations who need to overcome and prevent

micronutrient deficiencies as well as those concerned with

problems of overnutrition, obesity and diet-related chronic

diseases. For example, citrus is an ideal component of low-fat,

sodium-restricted diets.

Extracted from C. Economos and W.D. Clay. Nutritional and health benefits of citrus fruits.

www.fao.org

19RESEARCH ABSTRACTS

The mango in French-speaking West Africa:

cropping systems and agronomical practices

Cropping systems of the mango trees in West Africa are very

varied. Each one of them developed in a specific context where

the agronomical practices and the varietal composition of the

orchards contribute to the diversity observed. The study

undertaken should make it possible to better understand the

influence of the potential outlets on the evolution of the regional

mango production. Principal cropping systems. In the studied

area, the main part of the mango orchards has less than 10 ha;

their production is extensive and uses few inputs. They belong

in majority to growers whose principal activity is centred on

agriculture. Certain plantations close to 100 ha, found in

Senegal or in Côte d'Ivoire, belong to exporters and profit from a

technical assistance. Agronomical practices. The study of the

agronomical practices used in many mango orchards of West

Africa made it possible to analyze the aspects of seedling

production, choice of the site, installation of the orchard before

plantation, plantation and maintenance of the trees, fire

protection, water management, as well as the effect of the export

market on the varietal choice and the varietal offer during a

harvest campaign. Diseases and enemies. An inventory of the

pathological problems and physiological diseases likely to

devalue the production were carried out. Marketing. This part

made it possible to distinguish intercontinental exports,

requiring a specific harvest and conditioning organization, and

the local, national and regional markets. Processing. Today, the

share of transformed mangos into West Africa uses only one

negligible proportion of the total production. Conslusion and

prospects. Beside a traditional production which presents signs

of brittleness appear modern orchards. More than a necessary

intensification of the orchards, a rationalization of the

agronomical practices, plant health protection, fruit harvest or

handling are impossible to circumvent. Downstream, the export

path is confronted with a fast evolution of the exogenous

regulations, based on qualitative and sanitary standards

increasingly strict.

Vannière, H., Didier, C., Rey, J-Y, Diallo, T.M., Kéita, S. and

Sangaré, M. 2007. Fruits: 62(3), 187-201.

Organization of morphological and genetic

diversity of Caribbean and Venezuelan papaya

germplasm

The severe impact of papaya bacterial canker in the West Indies

jsutified launching a program to transfer the genetic

resistance/tolerance identified in local germplasm to good-

quality cultivars. As a first step, a germplasm collection from

the Caribbean was gathered and its morphological and genetic

diversity assessed. Materials and methods. The total sample

included 50 accessions from the Lesser Antilles, Cuba,

Venezuela, Costa Rica and Hawaii. Morphological data from a

subsample of 29 accessions were submitted to analysis of

variance, principal component analysis and Neighbour-Joining

cluster analysis. Nine isozyme systems were tested, and the

corresponding data were processed for cluster analysis and

genetic parameters, including the fixation index, diversity

indices and heterozygosity. Results. Eighteen of the 47

Caribbean and Venezuelan accessions exhibited

hermaphroditism. Venezuelan accessions displayed the widest

morphological diversity, while those from Barbados were

distinguished by fruit quality. Sexual type affected leaf and

flower traits. Cluster analysis shows little morphological

differentiation between origins, with the relative grouping of the

accessions from Guadeloupe or Barbados. Only four isozyme

systems were polymorphic, producing 34 distinct zymotypes,

with a relatively high heterozygosity and aparticular diversity in

Venezuela, Guadeloupe and Barbados. Geographic

structuration appears limited in the cluster analysis among

individuals; however, it is clearer when considering the six

bext-represented populations, with one cluster representing

Venezuela, Trinidad and Barbados, and one for Guadeloupe,

Martinique and Grenada. Discussion. The low level of fixation

is attributed to dioecy and to the low level of selection. The

relative isolation of island populations has favoured geographic

differentiation, albeit limited. The differentiation between the

good-quality germplasm from Barbados and the tolerant

populations from Martinique and Guadeloupe encourages the

development of a marker-assisted introgression scheme.

Ocampo, J., d'Eeckenbrugge, G., Bruyère, S., de Bellaire, L.,

Ollitrault, P. 2006. Fruits: 61(1), 25-37.

Processing and food uses of bananas and

plantains in Cameroon

In Southern Cameroon, bananas and plantains (Musa) play an

important role in the population's diet. There are many food

uses of these crops relative to the eating habits of consumers.

Our study was carried out in order to list the varieties of

bananas and plantains mostly used by housewives and

restaurant dealers and to describe the various culinary

preparations used for their transformation. Methods. The

processing and culinary methods of bananas and plantains,

including the estimation as well as the measurement of the

quantities of ingredients used, and the traditional utilisations of

these foodstuffs, were investigated in two Cameroonian towns

(Bafoussam and Yaoundé). Results. Some culinary preparations

using different varieties are common in Southern Cameroon

such as roasted or fried plantain, plantain chips, boiled plantain

or banana and pounded plantain. They are eaten with various

sauces, vegetables and other food complements. Other

preparations found in these regions include stuffed plantain or

banana, plantain or banana porridges and traditional recipes

called kondre and malaxé. Preparation of chips, fried and

roasted plantain are mainly carried out by women and young

boys on the streets in an effort to diversify sources of income.

These various transformation and uses of bananas and plantains

contribute to the reduction of post-harvest losses as well as the

valorisation of these perishable food stuffs.

Newilaha, G.N., Tchangoa, J.T., Fokoub, E., Etoa, F. 2005.

Fruits: 60(4), 227 - 236.

WHAT'S IN YOUR TROPICAL FRUIT?

Sunas S. Percival and Broole Findley

Introduction

Fruits are abundant in nutrients, such as fiber, potassium,

folate, and Vitamin C. Moreover, they also contain carotenoids

and polyphenols, which act as antioxidants within the body.

Eating large amounts of plant-based foods has been associated

with lowered rates of cardiovascular disease (1, 2) and with

decreased risk of cancer and stroke (2). Consuming adequate

fruits and vegetables provides both essential nutrients and

compounds that provide other beneficial physiological effects,

not all of which are known.

The nutrient composition of tropical fruits is of particular

interest not only because of the health benefits of fruit

consumption, but also because of the importance of tropical

fruits to the agricultural industry in Florida. In 2003, Florida

ranked ninth in the nation for total cash receipts from fruit,

with nearly 28% of this from field crops and other crops not

including vegetables. Additionally, Florida's top export is fruit;

in 2003, Florida ranked second in the nation in fruit exports

(3). Since the production of tropical fruits is an important part

of the economy of the state, highlighting the nutritional

benefits of these fruits enhances their marketability and

appeal.

However, the lack of comprehensive information about the

nutritional properties of these foods presents a challenge. The

purpose of this publication is to evaluate the current

information available on the nutrient composition of tropical

fruits. The nutrient information (amounts of fiber, Vitamin A,

Vitamin C, folate, potassium, calcium and iron) for the tropical

fruits examined was compiled from the USDA National

Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (4, 5) (see Table 1 ).

These values were then compared to the daily reference values

for food labeling (6) and evaluated in relation to the percent

provided per serving. According to the FDA, a "good" source

of a nutrient provides 10-19% of the daily reference value,

while an "excellent" source provides 20% of the daily

reference value (6, 7). Scientific names for fruits not found in

the USDA Nutrient Database were found in Morton's Fruits of

Warm Climates (8). The tropical fruits chosen for this analysis

were selected because they are currently of interest to local

growers and to food and dietary supplement manufacturers in

and around the state of Florida.

1. This document is FSHN 07-08, one of a series of the Department

of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Florida Cooperative Extension

Service, IFAS, University of Florida. First published September 2007.

Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Susan S. Percival, professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition

Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and

Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611,

and Brooke Findley, M.S., Nutritionist, Wake County Human

Services, Raleigh, NC.

Nutrients

Fiber helps maintain intestinal function, reduces the risk of

heart disease, and can help keep blood glucose levels normal.

Sapodilla, kumquat, durian and avocado were found to have

the highest amounts of fiber of the fruits evaluated. Kumquat

and sapodilla, at 6.4 g and 5.4 g of fiber per serving,

respectively, both provide more than 20% of the daily

reference value for fiber, and therefore are excellent sources of

fiber.

Vitamin A is important for vision, expression of genes, growth,

and development, as well as proper immune function (9).

Passion fruit juice (89 μg/serving), pitanga (65 μg/serving),

acerola (60 μg/serving), and plantain (41 μg/serving) contain

the highest amounts of Vitamin A of the tropical fruits

evaluated. Despite these fruits' high levels of Vitamin A when

compared to the other fruits evaluated, these three fruits are

not considered "good" or "excellent" sources of the vitamin.

More research into beta-carotene and its contribution to

vitamin A value is needed.

In the body, Vitamin C is used as a cofactor for many

metabolic reactions; it also serves as an antioxidant (9). Many

of the fruits evaluated are high in Vitamin C. Acerola juice,

which contains 3872 mg per serving, and raw acerola cherries,

which contain 822 mg per serving, are extraordinarily high in

Vitamin C. Guava, which contains 188 mg per serving, is also

an excellent source, followed by passion fruit juice (74

mg/serving), longan (70 mg/serving), and lychee (70

mg/serving).

Calcium is necessary for blood clotting, muscle movement,

and transmission of nerve signals, and is important for

formation of bones and teeth (9). Of the tropical fruits

evaluated, kumquat (62 mg/serving), mamey sapote (39

mg/serving), and sapodilla (25 mg/serving) contain the most

calcium; however, none of these fruits are considered "good"

or "excellent" sources of calcium. (Fruits are not typically

good sources of calcium.)

Iron is a component of enzymes and hemoglobin in the body

and prevents anemia (9). Of the tropical fruits evaluated,

acerola, coconut, and sapodilla contained the most iron. All

three of these fruits are good sources of iron for males, with a

serving of acerola providing 15% of the RDA for males, and

servings of coconut and sapodilla providing 12% of the RDA

for males; however, these fruits are not considered "good" or

"excellent sources" of iron for women, whose RDA for iron is

higher. (Fruits are not, in general, good sources of iron.)

Folate is important in metabolic reactions in the body and also

prevents certain types of anemia (9). An adequate folate intake

prevents birth defects and heart disease. Avocado, durian, and

guava are the tropical fruits with the most folate.

Continued on page 24

20 NUTRITION

21RECIPES

Serves 6 to 8

Shrimp Salad with Pawpaw and Avocado

Pawpaw's mellow flesh and peppery seeds are good foils for

shrimp in a piquant dressing.

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe pawpaw

1/4 cup mild-flavoured olive oil

1 tbsp. tarragon wine vinegar

1 tbsp. lime or lemon juice

1/4 tsp. each salt and dry mustard

1 escallion, thinly sliced

1/4 lb. small, peeled, cooked shrimp

1 medium ripe avocado (pear), halved and seeded

Leaves of Boston or butter lettuce

METHOD

Serves 4

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20030619/cook/cook2.html

Caribbean Fruit Salads

Caribbean Pawpaw SaladFresh pawpaw complements avocado (pear), tomato and

cilantro in this elegant salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup watercress or baby lettuce leaves

2 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced pawpaw

1/4 cup to 1 cup thinly sliced avocado

1 cup thinly sliced tomato

2 tbsps. lime juice

2 tbsps. chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp. salt (optional)

1/8 tsp. ground coriander

1/8 tsp. allspice

METHOD

Serves 4.

Tropical Fruit Salad with Coconut-Lime Dressing

The fruits for this dish achieve a fine balance of flavour and

texture, but, if you wish, add or substitute melon, kiwifruit,

strawberries or other fruits that complement the salad.

INGREDIENTS

1 large pineapple

1 large mango

1 large pawpaw

1 firm but ripe banana

2 or 3 fresh tangerines, peeled, separated into sections, and

seeded

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

Fresh lime juice, to taste

METHOD

Arrange watercress on 4 small salad plates. Layer slices of

pawpaw, avocado, hearts of palm and tomato atop

watercress.

Stir together lime juice, cilantro, salt (if used), coriander

and allspice. Drizzle over papaya salads. Cover with plastic

wrap and chill 30 minutes before serving.

1.

2.

Pare pineapple, halve, and remove tough core from both

halves. Cutting lengthwise, slice fruit into long wedges,

then cut slices crosswise into bite-sized chunks. Place in a

large glass or ceramic bowl.

Wash mango well. Holding the mango upright on a cutting

board, use a paring knife to cut off large wedges of flesh,

avoiding the stringy fibres around the large central pit. Peel

the skin away from each wedge; cut fruit into bite-sized

chunks. Add to pineapple in bowl.

1.

2.

Wash pawpaw well. Split pawpaw lengthwise; scoop out

the small black seeds; discard. Slice flesh into wedges, peel,

and cut into bite-sized chunks. Add to pineapple and mango

in bowl.

Peel and slice banana. Add, along with tangerines, to bowl;

add coconut milk. Toss gently to combine, taste, and add

lime juice, as needed, to adjust the balance of sweet and tart

flavours. Serve in a decorative bowl.

chunks. Add to pineapple in bowl.

3.

4.

Peel, halve and scoop out seeds from pawpaw, reserving 2

teaspoons of the seeds. Slice papaya thinly and set aside.

In blender or food processor, combine oil, vinegar, lime

juice, salt and mustard; process until well-combined. Add

reserved papaya seeds; process again until seeds are the

consistency of coarsely ground pepper.

Pour dressing into a medium bowl; mix lightly with onion

and shrimp.

Cut avocado, using a melon ball cutter, into small balls;

mix lightly with shrimp mixture.

Arrange lettuce on each of 4 salad plates. Place a fourth of

the papaya slices on each plate. Spoon shrimp-avocado

mixture over papaya; drizzle any residual dressing over the

salads.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

BANANA AND PLANTAIN CONFERENCE 2008

Organization: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Date: April 7-10, 2008

Venue: Mombassa, Kenya

Information: Thomas Dubois; Bio-control Specialist

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture; IITA c/o

Lambourn Ltd, Carolyn House; 26 Dingwall Road; Croydon

CR9 3EE, UK

Email: t.dubois@cgiar.org

Fax: +256 (0)41 285079

Phone: +256 (0)75 2787808

Organization web: www.iita.org

Conference web: www.banana2008.com

ORGANIC FRUIT CONFERENCE

Organization: International Federation of Organic Agriculture

Movements (IFOAM) ; International Spciety for Horticultural

Science (ISHS)

Date: June 15-17, 2008

Venue: Vignola, Italy

Information: Franco P. Weibel; Research Institute of Organic

Farming (FiBL); CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland

E-Mail: franco.weibel@fibl.org

Tel.: +41 62 865 72 42;

Fax: +41 62 865 72 73

Mob.: +41 79 606 3 808

Web:http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/owc/prog

ram_organic_fruit.html

Main themes:

- Advances in organic fruit production methods

- The effects of existing or novel organic methods and systems

on sustainability

- Fruit quality, economic, public relations and marketing,

ecological and human-health issues

4th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON TROPICAL

AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS

Date: November 2-7, 2008

Venue: Bogor Agricultural Unversity, Bogor, Indonesia

Info: Prof. Dr. Roedhy Poerwanto

Tel: *62-251 326881 / 382201

E-mail: roedhy@indo.net.id

Website: http://www.ifs2008.info/

Symposium Themes:

-

-

-

-

-

-

UPCOMING EVENTS22

WEBSITES

CARIB Fruits

An introduction to the fruits of the West Indies. More than 125

species described in 80 richly illustrated sheets. (In French).

http://caribfruits.cirad.fr

Fintrac Information Service

Provides numerous links to crop and market guides, industry

events and other research for fresh fruits and vegetables

www.agribusinessonline.com

International Tropical Fruits Network

www.itfnet.org

Breeding and Biotechnology

Pest and Disease Management

Production Technology and Physiology

Post Harvest, Processing Technology and Food Safety

Economics and Marketing

Education, Extension and Technology Transfer

a.k.a. Starfruit (Jamaica); Chinese Jimbelin, Chinese

Tamarind; Five fingers (Guyana); Vinagrillo (Dominican

Republic); Zibline (Haiti); Cornichon (French Antilles);

Blimbing legi or Fransman-birambi (Suriname);

Coolie Tamarind (Trinidad); Tamarindo chino or

tamarindo dulce (Venezuela).

The carambola is a pleasure both to the taste, and to the

eye. Its mild, sweet, sub-acid flavor complements many

commercial juice drinks, and the fruit is also often eaten

fresh. When cut, slices of the fruit have a star shape, and

are used in salads and other dishes.

A small and slow-growing tree to 20-30ft, the star fruit is

best adapted in the warm tropics from sea level to

2000ft, but can be grown in unusual conditions in the

subtropics, provided the plant is protected from extreme

cold. Older trees are more tolerant of frost. Growth stops

below 55-60F, and adult trees can be killed at prolonged

temperatures below 28F. Both hot, dry and cold winds

can severely damage trees and fruit, so adequate

windbreaks are suggested for ideal culture. Give the

plant full sun, fertilize 4-5 times a year, and provide

moderate water throughout the year. Heavy water during

flowering may inhibit pollination and fruit production.

Star fruit's are susceptible to root rot under wet

conditions, but they generally do well with moderate,

year-round rainfall. Propagation: Seedling trees usually

fruit within 4-6 years, while grafted trees can fruit in

under a year.

Source: www.tradewindsfruit.com

TROPICAL FRUIT "PICK"Carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.)

23

IICA

Supporting Fruit Industry Expansion

in the Caribbean

RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTION NOTICE - 2007

TROPICAL FRUITS NEWSLETTER

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will publish two issues of the Tropical Fruits Newsletter

in 2008. We remind our readers to fill out this form and return via fax, e-mail or regular mail to the address indicated below

so that we may update our mailing list for the coming year. Thank you.

Yes, I would like to receive future editions of

TROPICAL

FRUITS

NEWSLETTER

Contact:

The Editor, Tropical Fruits Newsletter, IICA

P.O. Box 1318, Port of Spain, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago

Fax: (868) 628-4562

Email: iica.tt@iica.int

BIODATA

Name Farmer Processor Technician Academician Researcher

Position Academic Title (BSc., MSc., PhD.)

Name of Institution/Farm/Processing Plant

Address

City Country

Phone (including country & city codes) Fax (including country & city codes)

Email Web site (of institution): http://

BACKGROUND

Please indicate your area of specialization/interest

CURRENT ACTIVITY

Briefly describe your current activity (research, conservation, teaching, processing, production/farming, lobbyist, breeding, genetics,

etc.)

If you work with specific fruits, indicate which

For persons outside of the Caribbean:

Subscription Fee Enclosed (US$10.00/year) Yes No

(Please make cheque payable to IICA)

About IICA

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is the specialized agency for agriculture of

the inter-American System. Its mission is to support the 34 Member States in their pursuit of progress and

prosperity in the Hemisphere through the modernization of the rural sector, promotion of food security and

development of an agricultural sector that is competitive, technologically prepared, environmentally managed and

socially equitable for the people of the Americas.

The Member States are: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa

Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,

Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines,

Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, the United Sates of America, Uruguay and Venezuela.

WHAT'S IN YOUR TROPICAL FRUIT?

Continued from page 20

With 61 μgg/serving, 44 μgg/serving and 40 μgg/serving,

respectively, they are considered "good" sources of folate.

Data on the folate content of some fruits are nonexistent.

Potassium is important in maintaining the fluid balance of

cells. It contributes to normal cell function, helps to

counterbalance fluctuations in blood pressure when excess

sodium is taken into the body, and decreases markers of bone

turnover (9). Of the tropical fruits evaluated, passion fruit

juice, durian, plantain, guava, and avocado contained the most

potassium. Passion fruit juice, in particular, is an excellent

source of potassium, containing almost 700 mg of potassium

(20% of the daily reference value) per serving.

Fruits

In addition to vitamins and minerals, a number of the fruits

characterized in the USDA database contained other dietary

bioactive components, such as carotenoids and polyphenols

(Table 2 ). After noting which fruits had significant quantities

of at least three of the nutrients listed in Table 1, we searched

the scientific literature for research on the composition of

other dietary bioactive components in these fruits. This meant

we searched for articles on acerola, avocado, durian, guava,

kumquat, passion fruit juice, and sapodilla.

Acerola (Malpighia glabra, Malpighia emarginata) is

extraordinarily high in vitamin C and is also a rich source of

vitamin A, iron, and folate. The fruit juice has also been found

to contain carotenoids, such as beta-carotene (10).

Avocado (Persea americana) contains alpha and beta carotene

and lutein/zeathanthin, but not lycopene (4). Other bioactive

food components have not been characterized. The oil of the

avocado has received more attention than the edible pulp.

Durian (Durio zibethinus) is high in fiber, folate, and

potassium; however, no carotenoid or phenolic information is

currently available.

Guava (Psidium guajava), a source of fiber, vitamin C, folate,

and potassium, is also very high in lycopene and beta-carotene

(4, 11). Guava also contains ellagic acid, gallic acid

conjugates, and quercetin glycosides, but not

hydroxycinnamics (12) or cryptoxanthin (4, 11). No

derivatives of chlorogenic acids were detected in guava (13).

Passion fruit juice (Passiflora edulis) is rich in vitamins A and

C, as well as potassium. The predominant carotene is zeta-

carotene (14).

Sapodilla (Manikara zapota) and kumquat (Fortunella spp.)

are high in fiber, iron, and calcium, as far as fruits go. Two

unusual polyphenolic compounds with high antioxidant

activity, methyl 4-O-galloylchlorogenate and 4-O-

galloylchlorogenic acid (15), have been identified in sapodilla.

5-caffeoylquinte (CQA) (but not 4-CQA) was also found in

small quantities in the sapodilla (13). In addition, sapodilla

contains catechin conjugates and polyphenols (12). The

predominant flavanone in kumquat is narirutin, while the f is

practically devoid of flavones (16).

NUTRITION

Acerola Avocado Durian Guava Sapodilla

(Barbados Cherry)

24