Mangos in Jamaica

Last month, the very first shipment of Jamaican mangos made their way to the United States. Jamaican mango growers began the process to export mangos to the U.S. in 2009, so after ten years, Americans will finally have the chance to taste some of the delicious Jamaican varieties. The first shipments will be small, so these mangos won’t necessarily be easy to find. But this is the first step toward widespread Jamaican mango availability!

Jamaicans take mangos very seriously. Each person has their own favorite variety and the people even have folk songs to celebrate the mango season. One of the most popular songs called “Mango Time” shows how people will drop everything to enjoy their mangos!

“…Me no drink cawfee tea, mango time

Care how nice it maybe, mango time

At de height of de mango crop

When de fruit dem a ripe an’ drop

Wash yu pot, tun dem down, mango time…”

Julie Mangos – Photo from Pinterest.

One of the first varieties making their way to the U.S. is the popular Julie mango. This super juicy variety tends to have green to a red-orange colored flesh. Some Jamaicans prefer to eat the Julie mango just before it’s ripe, so it doesn’t get too mushy.

Now that Jamaican mangos are heading our way, we’re so ready for our own “Mango Time” to celebrate!