MANGO PRODUCTION USING PLASTIC GREENHOUSE IN OKINAWA

Mangoes were introduced to Okinawa in the early 1900s. They were not commercialized until 1984 due to the prevailing weather conditions in open fields during the mango blooming season. The blooming season of mangoes grown in Okinawa is from December to March. During this season, Okinawa has high rainfall and low sunshine days that prevent pollen growth. The technique for mango production using plastic greenhouses was established in 1984, and spread throughout the Okinawa Prefecture. Using greenhouses, mango production has been increasing year by year. Recently, mangoes have become an important part of the Okinawan horticulture industry. In 1999, the estimated mango production in Okinawa was 1460 t. The most important cultivar is 'Irwin', which has an average weight of 450 g, sugar content of 14 Brix and titratable acidity of 0.18 %. Fruit is harvested when fully matured and is commercially available from June to August. The average wholesale price of mangoes at the Okinawa central wholesale market was 954 yen/kg in 1999. Okinawan mangoes can be transported and delivered as fresh, fully-matured fruits to mainland Japan without any quarantine treatment because the melon fly problem was eradicated in 1990.