Kimberley-grown mangoes are being test-marketed in South-East Asia in a bid to develop export markets for the fruit.
Agriculture Minister Ernie Bridge said 89 trays of Kensington Pride mangoes were airfreighted from Perth this week to Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
The Department of Agriculture had grown mangoes at the Frank Wise Institute of Tropical Agricultural Research at Kununurra, and was test-marketing the fruit in conjunction with Western Australian export agents.
"During the next five to 10 years there will be a large increase in mango production in the Kimberley, and while the domestic market will absorb much of this, it provides an opportunity to develop export markets," Mr Bridge said.
"The Kensington Pride has been sold in Asia for a number of years from Carnarvon and has become known in those markets as the Australian mango.
"The Kimberley production season is much earlier than Carnarvon, so the aim is to determine the price level for our early mangoes.
"While there are now relatively few mature trees in the Kimberley, producing about 250 tonnes a year for the domestic market, there have been a number of large scale orchards established in recent years.
"This should see production double to about 500 tonnes a year by 1994-95."
Mr Bridge said WA's tropical northern areas had a long-term bright future exporting fresh produce and other commodities into Asian markets.
