
What is mango?
Mangoes are tropical stone fruits, plump and oval in shape and about the size of a grapefruit. They have an inedible skin that ranges in colour from yellow to green through to red-green, depending on the variety, whilst inside is a soft, edible yellow flesh and a hard inedible stone.
Mangoes only grow in warmer climates. They are native to Southern Asia, but they are now grown in other countries including most of African.
Nutritional benefits of mango
Mango is a low-calorie fruit that is high in fibre, and is a great source of vitamins A and C. It also contains folate, B6, iron and a little calcium, zinc and vitamin E. Mangoes are a good source of antioxidants, containing certain phytochemicals such as gallotannins and mangiferin which have been studied for their health benefits.
Here is a list of the top countries in Africa that produce mangoes
Rank | Area | World rank | Value (Tonnes) |
1 | Egypt | 8 | 1,277,008 |
2 | Nigeria | 10 | 917,617 |
3 | Sudan | 12 | 785,940 |
4 | Kenya | 13 | 734,658 |
5 | Tanzania | 16 | 427,586 |
6 | Madagascar | 22 | 287,908 |
7 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 23 | 259,803 |
8 | Niger | 24 | 181,968 |
9 | Guinea | 25 | 175,070 |