Abstract
The mango (Mangifera indica) has been cultivated in Florida for over a century. It has been grown on a commercial scale since the 1930s and the mango industry of Florida reached a pinnacle in terms of acreage in the 1990s. Hurricane Andrew, pressure from urban development and low prices due to off-shore competition have considerably reduced the profitability and acreage of mango farming in Florida. Increasingly, there are opportunities for the production of mango using innovative production systems and new cultivars that can distinguish from those commercially available which will allow for the pushing of price to make activities profitable. The work details the principles and mechanics of estate mango farming for direct sales and for farmers' markets using a quarter-acre project in Miami-Dade County. Due to the small scale and nature of the market, significant opportunities are available in terms of cultivar and production systems that will allow a grower to be profitable. Proper management of scale is the key to success. Small acreage (less than five acres), high density, organic and/or sustainable practices, innovative pruning and superior cultivars are paramount.
