KINGSTON, Jamaica — Some 4,710 kilograms of mangoes were shipped to the United Kingdom (UK) from the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston today, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said.

The mangoes were exported by local fresh food producers Native Nature, Dussard Trading, Tropical Foods, Carita Jamaica Limited and Wah Gwaan Foods (Yam Man) Jamaica Limited.

According to the ministry, the shipment, containing 320 boxes of Julie and 172 boxes of East Indian mangoes, is the second to the UK this month, following a seven-year absence from the market.

On April 1, Wah Gwaan Foods shipped 13 boxes of East Indian and 74 boxes of Julie mangoes, totalling 609 kilograms to the UK.

Portfolio minister Floyd Green, who was at the airport on Thursday to witness the loading of the mangoes, commended the five local exporters.

“Today is a very big day for us here in Jamaica as we continue to target exports and to ensure that our fresh produce gets to the rest of the world,” he said.

Green said that mangoes being shipped overseas go through detailed inspection to ensure that they are free from pests.

Jamaica stopped shipping mangoes to the UK in 2014 based on a self-imposed ban due to fruit flies.

“We do detailed inspections of every shipment to ensure that there are no fruit flies being sent abroad. The team works very, very hard… and this is critical to ensure that we keep the markets open,” Green said.

Green also said that mango exports to the United States will resume “very shortly”.