Contribution to mango value chain development in Benin
Producer perception surveys
C. van Melle¹, D. Arinloye¹, O. Coulibaly¹, JF. Vayssières¹ ² and K. Hell¹
INTRODUCTION
Agriculture is the main source of income for 65% of the population of Benin. Besides the production of traditional crops, high value crops
like cashew and mango (Mangifera indica L., Anacardiaceae) have a great potential for national and international commercialisation. The
area with mango trees is estimated to be 2,300 ha with an annual production of around 12,000 tons in 2005. However, annual losses of
mango fruits are high.
METHODOLOGY - Value Chain Analysis
A value chain approach is applied to analyse the potential of mango value chain development for food security and poverty reduction. It assesses the performance of all chain actors and other chain stakeholders. The analysis is both qualitative and quantitative, and takes place at all chain nodes and segments.
This part of the study focuses on the performance of the mango production systems. A survey was carried out in order to (i) identify current production systems (ii) assess their constraints (iii) and analyze profitability.
Interviews were held with a sample of 150 commercial mango producers across three agro ecological zones in Benin (see figure 1), selected according to criteria like mango variety
Sudan Savannah (SS) (±10%) Northern Guinean Savannah (NGS) (± 85% ) Southern Guinean Savannah (SGS) ( ± 5% )
Fig. 1: Agro ecological zones and estimated fraction of total mango production in Benin
Africa ¹International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Benin , ²Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Benin
Importance (% producers)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Phytosanitary problems (mainly fruit flies) Lack of buyers Theft of mangoes on orchards Lack of credit
RESULTS
(local/grafted) and market access. Key questions focus on farm and farmer characteristics, perceptions on constraints and opportunities and estimated production and opportunity costs, sales and losses in the previous mango season.
Mango production is mostly small scale (< 2 Ha.), and the average proportion of the mango orchard on the total farm is 18%. Producers report high losses (see figure 2). The main part of fresh mangoes is sold on domestic markets, a small part is exported to regional markets including Niger and Burkina Faso and no significant part to international markets.
B. Constraints
The two main constraint as perceived by producers are losses due to the
The system has a low profitability compared to production of other crops in Benin. The production of the local mango variety is not profitable because of low market value. The production of grafted mangoes in the Sudan Savannah
Most common in Benin is extensive production (no purchased inputs) of grafted mangoes with producers transporting their fruits to a market place (Figure 4 – system 1B).
C. Profitability
A. Mango value chain
Dried mango (gas oven /solar)
Input use, small orchard
Tractor use, big orchard
4% | LOCAL varieties (extensive, small
orchard).
Processors (artisanal & semi-industrial)
Extensive, small orchard
Juice ( manual/mechanical) Producers
>94% TradersWholesalers Retailers
Exporter (EU)– dried mango
Retailers – processed mango
Consumers
Domestic consumers
Regional consumers (Niger, Burkina Faso) International consumers Marmalade ( manual/mechanical) <5% Fruit losses: 46 % 85% 90% | GRAFTED varieties 2% 3% Fruit losses: 68 % Seedlings Herbicide Input suppliers Fertiliser <1% < 9% >90 % Producer estimates (N=150) ( ± 5% )
Source: Adapted from Alex Wezel (1999)
1A 1B 9 2 3 25B -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 Prof it (1000 Fcf a */Ha )
Fig 4: Financial profitability of selected production systems
Mango orchard in Benin
Figure 2: Overview of mango value chain in Benin
<1%
Lack of credit Lack of equipment Lack of technical supports Wind damages Lack of conservation technologies (incl.processing)
CONCLUSION
At producer level, fruit losses are high due to damage caused by fruit fly infestations and lack of buyers. Improved
pest management technologies may improve mango quality and reduce losses, however, to substantially increase
the profitability of mango production also market access to existing and new markets needs to be improved. For
smallholder mango producers to fully exploit the opportunities of emerging markets, there is a need to develop
alternative and innovative value chains based on filling their resource gap.
The two main constraint as perceived by producers are losses due to the infestations of fruit flies and a lack of buyers (see figure 3). We can assume therefore, that even when fruit losses are reduced through effective pest management, the valorization of the increased quantity is not guaranteed. For this further actions are required, including value adding and exports.
Source: Data collection 2008
mangoes in the Sudan Savannah zone are more profitable, which can be explained by late ripening of fruits and proximity to regional markets.
Marketing factors including market access and transaction costs are highly affecting profitability, as shown in Figure 5.
The distance of the orchard to the road (remoteness) shows a negative trend regarding the profit per kg mango produced.
*1 Euro = 656 FCFA
Fig. 5: Relation between orchard location and financial profitability of mango production in Benin
Source: Data collection 2007
Bars show Means
0-1km 1-10 km >10 km Distance to main road 0 5. 10 15 20 Prof it (Fcf a */kg produ ced)
Source: Data collection 2007
-40
Description of production systems (est. % in Benin) 1A = NGS + grafted var. + <9 ha + farm gate sales (15%) 1B = NGS + grafted var. + <9 ha + transport (65%)
2 = NGS + grafted var. + >9 ha + Tractor use + transport (2%) 3 = NGS + grafted var. + <9 ha + Herbicide + farm gate sales (3%) 9 = NGS + local var. + <9 ha + farm gate sales (4%) 25 = SS + grafted var. + <9 ha + transport (5%)
Sudan Savannah Northern Guinean Savannah
Mango harvesting in Benin
0 10 20 30 40 50
Wind damages Lack of equipment Lack of credit Lack of technical supports Lack of conservation technologies (incl.processing) Theft of mangoes on orchards Lack of buyers Phytosanitary problems (mainly fruit flies)
Importance (% producers) Figure 3 : Main constraints observed by mango producers in Benin (N=150)
