Why Is Mangosteen So Expensive? A Detailed Guide to Its Origins and Key Cultivation Techniques

Mangosteen is a fruit with a hard rind, soft and glutinous flesh, and a sweet taste, generally ripening and hitting the market in November and December. Mangosteen can not only be eaten fresh, but also processed into preserved fruit, and its rind can also be used to make dye. When buying mangosteen, you will notice that mangosteen is not cheap. So why is mangosteen so expensive? Where does it come from? What are the key cultivation techniques?

I. Why is mangosteen so expensive?

1. Rare things are precious

The area planted with mangosteen in China is still not large at present, mainly distributed in Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan, and the national output is very low. In its place of origin it may be much cheaper, but elsewhere freight and similar costs are usually added, so it becomes much more expensive, and if it is imported from abroad it is even more expensive.

2. High planting costs

Its planting and management costs are both relatively high. For example, in terms of planting, amino acids are needed as fertilizer, so some fruit growers may compost fish and shrimp until they rot to obtain amino acids, and then fertilize the mangosteen with them. This way the yield is much higher and it also helps the trees bear fruit earlier, so because the costs are high, the selling price is of course much higher.

3. High nutritional value

Mangosteen contains a variety of nutrients, such as soluble solids, citric acid, various vitamins and minerals, among which protein, sugars and lipids are all abundant.

II. Where does mangosteen come from?

It is native to Maluku and widely cultivated in tropical regions of Asia and Africa; Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong and Yunnan also have introduced or trial plantings.

III. What are the key cultivation techniques for mangosteen?

1. Terrain conditions for mangosteen cultivation

A mangosteen orchard should be chosen in the southern part of Hainan (Lingshui, Sanya, Baoting, Ledong and the southern part of Wuzhishan) where there is a good natural barrier, on half-hillside slopes of less than 20°, gentle slopes and flat land, and the orchard should be concentrated and contiguous for easy management. The orchard should have deep soil, fertile soil and good soil structure, with a pH value between 5-6 and a groundwater level below 0.5m. The orchard should have convenient drainage and irrigation, and preferably a stable water source sufficient for irrigation.

2. Soil conditions for mangosteen cultivation

Mangosteen is suitable for growing on many types of soil, but cannot adapt to calcareous soil, sandy alluvial soil or sandy soil low in humus. In tropical regions, clay loam and loam that are well aerated, deep, well drained, slightly acidic and rich in organic matter are most suitable for mangosteen growth.

3. Digging planting holes and applying base fertilizer for mangosteen cultivation:

The planting holes need to be dug 1 month in advance, and the size of the planting holes is generally 60cm×60cm×60cm. The topsoil and subsoil from the holes should be placed separately. Apply 15kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 0.5kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer to each planting hole. When applying the base fertilizer, first fill the topsoil into the hole, then mix the organic fertilizer and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer evenly with the subsoil from the hole to make fertilized soil for later use. Planting time is generally from May to November, preferably on a cloudy afternoon, to avoid the young mangosteen seedlings being scorched by sunlight.

4. Transplanting young mangosteen seedlings

Either seedling trees or grafted seedlings can be chosen for planting. Before planting the seedlings, remove diseased and pest-damaged branches and leaves and residual leaves, then cut off some excess leaves to avoid a large evaporation rate and excessive water loss. When planting, first fill the mixed fertilized soil into the hole to 40cm, then remove the seedling's nutrient bag, place it into the hole; the support stick of the seedling need not be pulled out, and the seedling can be planted together with the stick to play a windbreak role. Then backfill with fertilized soil, tread it firm with the foot, and water thoroughly to settle the roots. The spacing specification for mangosteen planting is generally 4m×6m, with a planting density of about 28 plants per mu. For flat terrain and fertile soil, the density can be reduced to 22 plants/mu.