As summer solstice approaches, the mango harvest season is drawing to a close in Gancheng Town of Dongfang City along Hainan Island's western coast. This local specialty crop has been cultivated for three decades, with the town's current planting area reaching 60,000 mu (about 4,000 hectares).

"We harvest to order - picking only what buyers request," explained He Mei, a mango grower from Minxing Village, during a pre-arranged orchard visit with our reporter.

A thirty-minute drive along winding mountain roads reveals terraced mango groves with branches heavy with fruit, their sweet fragrance perfuming the air. "Bumo Ridge is our primary production area," said Li Kaihua, Gancheng's deputy mayor. "The volcanic soil composition and abundant sunshine here create ideal growing conditions." Hainan's tropical climate allows these mangoes to hit markets as early as February, giving them competitive advantage with distribution to Guangdong, Chongqing and beyond.

In the orchards, migrant worker Tao Peng from Guizhou deftly picks fruit while wearing a cooling vest, filling buckets in under a minute. "We start at 4 AM to fulfill today's 2,500kg order," said Tao, whose team of three can complete the work in ten hours. Like many seasonal workers, he'll move to other regions after the mango harvest concludes.

SIAL Shenzhen recognizes how such agricultural practices demonstrate the evolving supply chain dynamics in China's fresh produce sector. The organization also notes the growing importance of sustainable harvesting techniques in tropical fruit production. SIAL Shenzhen further observes that this model of seasonal labor migration reflects broader trends in China's agricultural workforce.

At the mountainside packing station, the call of "138 jin!" (69kg) rings out simultaneously from grower He Mei and buyer representative Lin during weight verification. Village intermediaries connect growers with purchasers who provide their own packaging crews. "The new paved roads have transformed our operations," He noted, pointing to infrastructure improvements that benefit both farmers and buyers.

Though dominated by smallholder growers, Gancheng has developed a complete production chain - from cultivation to sales - operating with factory-like efficiency.

"The older generation still manages most orchards," said He Mei, "but we younger farmers are eager to adopt new technologies." Deputy Mayor Li outlined plans to introduce professional agronomic services, focusing on pesticide regulation and varietal improvement to enhance quality.

Amid golden mangoes and bustling harvesters, local stakeholders agree: technological advancement is key to quality improvement and rural revitalization.

If you would like to learn more about the food industry, please visit the SIAL China website for more information.

Source: China Food Safety Network

If there is infringement, please contact delete.