Your Trader Joe’s Dried Mango habit is actually a good thing

From November until April, mangoes from northwest Peru can be found in grocery aisles throughout the world where they are prized for their flavor. But what happens to all of the fruit that doesn’t make it to the grocery store?

Even though they are just as tasty, many mangoes don’t meet export standards because they are too small, slightly blemished or oddly-shaped. Farmers normally earn just a fraction of the export price for this fruit, which takes its toll on families who are already living on the margins.  Our newest borrower, Perucal Organics, is a dried fruit company that addresses this problem for over 150 smallholder farmers who live in Piura, northwest Peru.

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For the past decade, Perucal has purchased hundreds of tons of mango annually from farmers who live near its 301,389-square-foot processing plant. Unlike most buyers, Perucal pays a premium price for ALL the mangoes produced.  This guarantees the company access to fruit and ensures that the farmers are well-paid for their harvest.

During peak harvest season over four hundred workers, 85% of whom are women, peel, slice, and dry the mango. On a good day, the factory can process 40 tons of fresh mango. Finished product is shipped to Mexico for packaging and from there, it is delivered to retailers including Trader Joe’s.

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Last year’s mango harvest was one of the worst on record for Peru, but this season is a bumper crop.  A loan from Beneficial Returns is enabling Perucal to buy and promptly pay for all of the fresh mango that is hitting their factory dock.  For Piura’s farmers, the only thing better than a tree loaded with fruit is a pocket full of money.