Cambodia's mango miracle: Growers getting an incredible two crops a year

[geovalin]

Mango growers in Cambodia are getting two crops a year from their trees, which has researchers from Australia very interested.

The mango industry in Australia spends a lot of time and money on a crop that produces fruit for just a few of weeks of the year.

Cameron McConchie, from the NT Department of Primary Industry, says there's plenty of incentives to learn how Cambodia double-crops its mangoes.

"There's always a possibility we might be able to figure out how to do this to our trees as well," he said.

"The opportunity to have a double crop, spreading your yield and doubling the use of your infrastructure, it would be really worthwhile.

"You've got all that investment in packing houses [in Australia], which only get used for six or eight weeks a year, so if you can double that, it would be ideal."

Cambodia's two mango seasons are March/April and then again in October/November.

Mr McConchie says the double cropping of Cambodian mango trees seems to be affecting the health of some plants, but an improved fertiliser program could help sustain them.

The big question is - how does Cambodia get two crops a year? Click on the audio link for Cameron McConchie's assessment.

Audio: How do Cambodian mango growers get two crops a year? (ABC Rural)

Mr McConchie is in Cambodia along with other Australian researchers as part of a project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR). Details of the Cambodian mango project will be posted on ABC Rural later in the week.

ABC Rural's Matt Brann travelled through Cambodia courtesy of the Northern Territory Government.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-15/cambodian-mango-growers-double-cropping/5963066

[seedy]

but an improved fertiliser program could help sustain them.

Does this guy work for Monsanto ?