Calypso Mango Breaks Records Despite a Tough Season

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)

It has been a tough season for most of Australia’s mango growers, with what some call disappointing yields, combined with labour and input costs challenges. Mango growers expect to produce 7.9 million trays this season, down 20 per cent in some recent years. Although many varieties had disappointing yields, Calypso growers saw a record crop. While there is still a couple of months left in the national harvest, peak production for the 2021/22 season has been reached and the national crop is now predicted to come in at under 8 million trays.

Northern Territory growers produced 4.4 million trays of mangoes this year, with more than a third coming from Nino Niceforo’s farms. The mango industry has relied heavily on seasonal workers to pick and pack fruit this season. According to the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA), around 330,000 trays of mangoes were picked in Australia last week. About 230,000 trays are expected to be picked this week leading up to Christmas.

The perfect summertime fruit, Calypso mangoes are grown in the Australian tropics. Calypso mangoes have irresistibly sweet flesh that’s firm and without the stringy bits that get stuck in your teeth. The season commences in the Northern Territory and ends in far North Queensland.

Calypso mangoes are similar to Kensington Pride, but with some advantages added in. While both varieties are available from late September to March, Calypsos enjoy a longer shelf life and have smaller seeds than KP’s. 

Calypso fruit

With their deep orange skin tinged with blush, Calypso mangoes are beautiful to behold. Their sweet mild flavour and particularly firm fibreless flesh make them well-suited for salads and chutney.

Calypso trees

Calypso mangoes are not known to be vigorous growers. There’s an upside to this – you’ll need to prune less! A trimming twice a year will keep your tree prepped for fruiting. Unlike KP’s which have an erratic fruiting pattern, Calypsos are pretty predictable. Expect a 70kg fruit yield from an 8- to the 9-year-old tree.