- Author Andrew Macnish, Daryl Joyce and Peter Delis - Qld Dept. Primary Industries, The University of Queensland, Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Ltd.
- Publish date 14 November 2025
- Type Report
- ISBN 978-1-922437-64-8
- Documents
- Horticulture
- Agriculture
- Supply chain development
Summary
This report presents the findings of CRCNA’s Sustainable export supply chains for Calypso® mango to China project, which investigated how to improve the reliability and quality of northern Australia’s mango exports into premium Asian markets.
Using Calypso® mangoes as a commercial case study, the project combined real-time supply chain monitoring with applied research into internal fruit disorders to identify the causes of export quality losses and practical solutions to address them. The report outlines improvements to postharvest handling, transport logistics, vapour heat treatment processes, harvest maturity and orchard management that significantly reduced fruit damage and strengthened export readiness. It also includes detailed technical appendices covering research methods, supply chain monitoring tools and scientific findings relevant to growers, exporters and researchers.
While focused on mango exports to China, the findings offer broader lessons for improving the performance of northern Australia’s perishable horticultural export supply chains.
Projects
Sustainable export supply chains for Calypso mango to China
Sustainable export supply chains for Calypso® mango to China explored how northern Australia’s mango industry could reliably access premium export markets by improving fruit quality across the supply chain. Using Calypso® mangoes as a commercial case study, the project worked with growers, exporters and researchers to identify the causes of quality losses from orchard through to Chinese retail markets. Real-time monitoring revealed that long transit times, inadequate cooling and inconsistent harvest maturity were compromising export performance, while targeted research identified practical solutions to reduce internal fruit disorders. Improvements to logistics, handling protocols and orchard management significantly reduced fruit losses and increased export readiness. The project also drove direct investment in improved cooling infrastructure and built new technical capability across the industry. While focused on the China market, the findings provide valuable guidance for the broader Australian mango industry seeking to expand premium horticultural exports into Asia. Online publications: Susceptibility of vapour heat-treated “B74” mango fruit to internal disorders and mineral nutrient composition: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304423825000640 Fruit sorting based on maturity reduces internal disorders in vapor heat-treated ‘B74’ mango: https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/12/1257 Impact of fruit maturity on internal disorders in vapor heat-treated mango Cv. ‘B74’: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/13/5472 Internal disorders of mango fruit and their management – physiology, biochemistry, and the role of mineral nutrients: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/18/2596 Impact of factors contributing to internal disorders of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit – A systematic literature review: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024ScHor.33113150U/abstract Fruit maturity and vapour heat treatment influence ‘flesh cavity with white patches’ disorder in ‘Calypso™’ mango: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370357283_Fruit_maturity_and_vapour_heat_treatment_influence_%27flesh_cavity_with_white_patches%27_disorder_in_%27Calypso%27_mango Mineral nutrition and internal defects in vapour heat treated mango fruit: https://era.dpi.qld.gov.au/id/eprint/9577/