| It's probably safe to say, that when asked | | | | Nayarit. As a note of interest, Fonatur has |
| which fruit is the most popular fruit in the | | | | recently earmarked billions of dollars for a |
| world, the majority of Americans and | | | | 15 year development program that will include |
| Canadians would respond with apples or | | | | more than 20,000 new condos and villas with |
| bananas. That response would be normal, but | | | | the associated infrastructure. This entire |
| far from accurate. | | | | area is surrounded by mango orchards where |
| | | | approximately 1.5 million metric tons of |
| To the astonishment of most North Americans, | | | | mangoes are grown annually, making Mexico the |
| mangoes are consumed worldwide by a factor of | | | | third largest producer of mangoes after India |
| three to one over bananas and ten to one over | | | | and China. |
| apples. Although mangoes are still considered | | | | |
| to be exotic fruits in America, ranking as | | | | After vacationing in Vallarta two or three |
| number 24 of the top 25 fruits consumed in | | | | times a year for 15 years we decided to move |
| the US, they are considered to be staples in | | | | there in 1997 and make Vallarta our permanent |
| India, South Asia, China, and Latin America; | | | | retirement destination. We bought our dream |
| often being referred to as "the king of the | | | | villa on the mountainside with a panoramic |
| fruits". Evidently, those in the many far | | | | view of Banderas Bay in an area known as the |
| corners of the world have learned something | | | | Beverly Hills of Vallarta. One of our first |
| that has yet to be discovered in North | | | | projects was to landscape the ½ acre |
| America! | | | | mountainside lot. With an abundance of |
| | | | tropical flowers and fruit trees available, |
| There are over 2,000 different varieties of | | | | the choice of plants was difficult and |
| mangoes ranging in size from a few ounces to | | | | somewhat overwhelming. |
| as much as four pounds. One thing they all | | | | |
| have in common is their nutritional value; | | | | After living in the States for 55 years, we |
| mangoes are a fantastic source of vitamins C | | | | were virtually oblivious to the qualities |
| and E, niacin, potassium, iron, and beta | | | | that mangoes had to offer. However, due to |
| carotene which converts to vitamin A in the | | | | their abundance in the local supermarkets, we |
| body. | | | | decided to give them a try. To our surprise, |
| | | | they were absolutely delicious; perhaps |
| The fresh, ripe mango is a very juicy and | | | | better than any fruit we'd ever had! A decade |
| sweet fruit with a unique and delicious | | | | later, after enjoying a constant supply of |
| taste. Some mangoes have a soft and pulpy | | | | mangoes for ten years, it's hard to imagine |
| texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while | | | | that we went a lifetime without enjoying |
| others have a firmer flesh similar to that of | | | | mangoes and that so many other North |
| a cantaloupe. | | | | Americans have also missed out on this |
| | | | experience. |
| Mangoes are widely used in chutney, fruit | | | | |
| bars, cereal products, juices, pies, ice | | | | Okay, back to the landscaping project. Since |
| creams, and even milk shakes. Although a | | | | we were introduced to the numerous beneficial |
| little messy due to their high juice content, | | | | qualities that the mangoes offered, we |
| they can be enjoyed simply by slicing the | | | | decided to plant some mango trees and were |
| fruit as you would a peach or pear. | | | | directed to a nursery in Nayarit, about 10 |
| | | | miles from home. The nursery was located on |
| Okay, now that we know what the most popular | | | | the edge of a huge mango orchard where |
| fruit in the world is, we must determine from | | | | mangoes grew as far as the eye could see. |
| where in the world these mangoes come. | | | | |
| Mangoes are grown throughout the tropics but | | | | The owners of the orchard / nursery gave us a |
| India is by far the largest producer and | | | | short presentation on mangoes, briefly |
| consumer of mangoes in the world. In fact, | | | | outlining the differences between the |
| for more than 6,000 years, mango trees have | | | | varieties grown there. After the |
| been a status symbol in India. Behind India | | | | presentation, they asked us why we were |
| are other areas within South Asia and parts | | | | buying mango trees. We informed them that we |
| of Australia. It wasn't until the 19th | | | | loved the taste of mangoes and were |
| century that mangoes were introduced to parts | | | | landscaping our new yard and thought it would |
| of Africa, South America, Hawaii, and Mexico. | | | | be nice to have fresh mangoes available. As |
| | | | is so typical in Mexico, rather than selling |
| For years, India has been unsuccessfully | | | | us some mango trees, they suggested we save |
| negotiating the exportation of mangoes to the | | | | the time, hassle, and money and just help |
| US, however just recently some agreements | | | | ourselves to the mangoes. They pointed out to |
| have been finalized, clearing the way for | | | | the orchard and indicated that there were |
| exportation of mangoes from India to the US. | | | | millions of mangoes and that we could have |
| In return, they will allow the US to export | | | | all that we wanted for free; they would even |
| peas, beans, almonds, and would you believe, | | | | help us fill up the car if we needed help! We |
| Harley Davidson motorcycles to India. Of | | | | never did buy those trees but do have an |
| those mangoes that currently make their way | | | | unlimited supply of those delicious mangoes! |
| to the US and Canada, approximately 80% come | | | | |
| from Mexico with the majority being grown in | | | | That was one of our first lessons learned in |
| the Mexican state of Nayarit which is on the | | | | Vallarta as it pertains to the Mexican |
| same latitude as Hawaii. | | | | hospitality. It's no wonder that Puerto |
| | | | Vallarta was selected as the friendliest |
| Nayarit, one of Mexico's 31 states, is | | | | resort destination in the world by a recent |
| located along the Pacific Ocean having its | | | | survey of Conde Nast readers. One of the |
| southern border with the state of Jalisco. | | | | reasons for the friendliness of the area is |
| The beautiful tourist destination and | | | | probably due to its perfect climate. Not only |
| retirement community of Puerto Vallarta lies | | | | perfect for mangoes, but with an average |
| at the border of these two states with its | | | | daily temperature of 73°F for seven months |
| downtown area or El Centro located in Jalisco | | | | of the year, it's perfect for its residents. |
| and Nuevo Vallarta located in Nayarit. Puerto | | | | |
| Vallarta is located at the northern end of | | | | In summarizing, if you're interested in |
| the Mexican Riviera and just recently, | | | | sampling some of the most popular fruit in |
| Fonatur, the National Tourism and Development | | | | the world, you might just want to visit the |
| Board of Mexico, has coined the term Riviera | | | | most popular resort destination in the world, |
| Nayarit for that section of pristine and | | | | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and have some real |
| majestic Pacific shoreline in the state of | | | | fun while sipping your mango margarita! |