Let's take a close look at mangos being grown for export.
Most Thai's use a nickname because their given names are too long. This is Eddy, a mango farmer in the village of Kaset Mai. Eddy spent about ten years living in Philadelphia and he speaks very good English.
You already know the fat guy on the left.
The mangos that Eddy grows are destined for export to Japan. They must be in perfect condition or they won't be accepted for shipping. Growing the "perfect" mango is labor intensive - they require a lot of TLC. Each mango must be grown inside a paper sack lined with carbon paper to ward off insects. Yep, the same stuff we used back in the days of typewriters.
When the mangos are harvested, one person picks another person places the mango gently into a crate, being careful not to bruise the fruit. To prevent damage from crushing the crates will be filled to just half their capacity, and then individually covered to keep away insects.
The mangos below won't make the grade because of spotting or discoloration, all of which are normal but not acceptable in the Japanese market. I've sampled all grades of mangos and can't tell a difference in the taste. These mangos will be sold locally for about 20 baht each. However, many will just fall to the ground.
Note the "perfect" shape and complexion of the mango below. If it's characteristics hold it will have a smooth, creamy, light yellow skin. This mango has a good chance of making it all the way to Japan
This shiny truck will transport the mangos to Bangkok at night to prevent damage from the sun's heat. Once there, each mango will be removed from it's sack for a final inspection before being accepted for shipment to Japan. Eddy sends one to four trucks of mangoes to Bangkok every night for about three months. The value of one truckload is approximately 150,000 baht, or roughly $4600.00 US. But Eddy reminds me that the overhead for producing these mangos is enormous.
And now...clouds, the moon, and sunsets.
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