What box is used to ship mangoes to the United States?

The ventilated, single-layer corrugated carton of 4 kg (8.8 lb). It is the unit the National Mango Board uses to count shipments from Mexico, Brazil and Ecuador. Fruit is sold by count, meaning the number of mangoes in the box: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 for round varieties such as Tommy Atkins, Kent and Keitt, and 12 to 22 for Ataulfo (honey) mangoes. The minimum board documented in the National Mango Board packaging study is C-flute corrugated with a 200 lb burst strength.

What do mango counts mean and how much does each fruit weigh?

The count is the number of mangoes that fill one 4 kg box, so the average fruit weight is 4,000 g divided by the count: about 665 g for a 6 count, 500 g for an 8, 400 g for a 10, 335 g for a 12 and 285 g for a 14. In Ataulfo, a 16 count is about 250 g and a 20 count about 200 g. Large fruit is also taller, and the National Mango Board study concluded that one 4 kg tray cannot accommodate the whole 5 to 18 count range, which is why packers run two inside heights.

How many 4 kg mango boxes fit on a pallet and in a 40 ft reefer?

On a 40 by 48 inch GMA pallet, the two designs in the National Mango Board packaging study load 144 trays (12 per layer, 12 layers) or 195 trays (15 per layer, 13 layers), with pallet loads of 750 kg and 762 kg. At 20 pallets, a 40 ft container carries 2,880 to 3,900 trays. Counted at the 4 kg statistical box that is 11.5 to 15.6 tonnes of fruit. Many packers stack higher: the study saw Brazilian and Peruvian pallets at 12 per layer and 21 layers, so confirm your own pattern against the usable height of the container and the compression strength of your carton.

How does hot-water treatment affect the mango carton?

Mangoes treated under USDA APHIS schedule T102-a are immersed in water at 115 °F (46.1 °C) or above for 65 to 110 minutes depending on shape and weight, then cooled. Fruit can reach the packing table still damp and warm, and the box then spends 2 to 4 weeks at 10 to 13 °C and 90 to 95 % relative humidity (UC Davis recommendations). That is why the carton should be specified by compression strength measured wet, with moisture-resistant paper and vents aligned between layers, and not by the dry value alone.

Are PP corrugated plastic harvest crates worth it for mangoes?

Yes, when the orchard and the packhouse recover the crate. A foldable PP corrugated plastic box in 4 to 5 mm sheet, 600 by 400 mm, carries 15 to 20 kg of mangoes, does not absorb latex or wash water, can be washed and sanitised, and folds flat to about a quarter of its volume when empty. The smooth surface reduces the rub and latex marks that later downgrade fruit. Against the rigid injection-moulded crate, the return truck does not travel full of air. If crates are not recovered, a reusable crate does not pay.

When should I confirm boxes and crates for the next mango season?

Count 10 to 12 weeks back from the first shipment: 1 to 2 weeks for artwork and samples, 3 to 4 weeks of factory time and 30 to 35 days at sea from Asia to Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas or Mazatlán. For Chiapas and Oaxaca, which open in January and February, the order closes in October and November; for Guerrero, Michoacán, Jalisco and Colima, in December and January; for Nayarit and Sinaloa, in March and April. Brazil starts shipping to the U.S. in the second week of July and Ecuador in the third week of September, so count back from those dates with your own transit time.

Mango Export Packaging Guide: the 4 kg Box, Counts 6–14, Hot-Water Treatment, Harvest Crates and Boxes per 40 ft Reefer

Fuxing Development Group · Updated October 8, 2026 · For U.S. mango importers and for packers in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil shipping to the United States · Versión en español

Quick answer: Mangoes enter the United States in the ventilated, single-layer 4 kg (8.8 lb) corrugated carton, sold by count: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 fruit per box for Tommy Atkins, Kent and Keitt, and 12 to 22 for Ataulfo. The minimum board documented by the National Mango Board packaging study is C-flute with a 200 lb burst strength. On a 40 × 48 in GMA pallet the two designs in that study load 144 or 195 trays, so a 40 ft container with 20 pallets carries 2,880 to 3,900 trays. Mexico shipped 82.8 million 4 kg boxes to the U.S. in the 2026 season, about 13 % fewer than in 2025 (National Mango Board, September 30, 2026). Printed cartons and PP corrugated plastic harvest crates made in Asia should be confirmed 10 to 12 weeks before the first shipment.

How much packaging the U.S. mango trade moves

Mango is one of the few fruits whose trade volume is published directly in boxes: every week the National Mango Board (NMB) reports how many 4 kg boxes each origin shipped to the United States. For a packaging buyer that figure is the market size, with no tonnes-to-boxes conversion needed.

Origin	Season to the U.S.	4 kg boxes shipped	Outlook	Source
Mexico	January to September; the hot-water packers have concluded their season	82,804,001 boxes for the 2026 season (week ending September 26, 2026); 95,512,386 at the same point in 2025	About 13 % lower year on year	NMB Mango Crop Report, updated September 30, 2026
Brazil	Second week of July to second week of December	6,828,408 boxes so far; 5,390,325 at the same point in 2025	Projection of about 11.3 million boxes, about 26 % higher year on year	Same report
Ecuador	Third week of September to first week of January	318,171 boxes so far (season just opened)	Projection of about 7.2 million boxes, about 48 % lower year on year	Same report
Peru	First week of October to first week of March in the 2024–25 season	Not yet in the current report	Not published at the time of writing	NMB Crop Report as relayed by FreshFruitPortal, February 2025 (single trade-press source)

One NMB box equals 8.8 lb (4 kg). Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture (SADER/Senasica) registered 19,734 orchards in eight states (Colima, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Oaxaca and Sinaloa) for the 2026 U.S. programme and projected more than 350,000 tonnes; those figures come from the ministry as reported by FreshFruitPortal on April 13, 2026. A packer handling 1 % of Mexico's volume needs roughly 830,000 to 950,000 cartons per season, plus harvest crates and pallets.

The 4 kg mango box: counts and average fruit weight

Before asking for a price, fix four things: the destination, the variety, the range of counts you will pack, and whether the fruit goes through hot-water treatment. Each answer changes the inside height, the board and the venting.

Count (fruit per 4 kg box)	Average fruit weight	Typical varieties	Box note
6	≈ 665 g	Round varieties: Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Haden	Taller inside height (counts 6–9)
7	≈ 570 g
8	≈ 500 g
9	≈ 445 g
10	≈ 400 g	Round varieties; 12 and 14 also Ataulfo	Lower inside height (counts 10–14)
12	≈ 335 g
14	≈ 285 g
16	≈ 250 g	Ataulfo (honey mango)	Flatter, elongated fruit: its own inside height; the yellow skin marks easily, so a smooth interior matters
18	≈ 220 g
20	≈ 200 g
22	≈ 180 g

Average weight is simple arithmetic: 4,000 g divided by the count. Count ranges per variety follow trade practice as documented on our Spanish-language page; each retailer sets its own assortment. The NMB packaging study warns that "a 4 kg tray is impossible to accommodate all varying sizes for the 5-18 count fruit": 5 count fruit is too large to reach 4 kg, and 12–18 count fruit gives almost 5 kg in the larger tray.

Corrugated carton specification for mangoes

UC Davis recommends 13 °C (55 °F) for mature-green mangoes and 10 °C (50 °F) for partially ripe and ripe fruit, at 90–95 % relative humidity, with a postharvest life of 2 to 4 weeks in air. A carton that leaves the packhouse dry therefore spends weeks in humid cold air under a full pallet load. The test that matters is compression strength measured wet, not the dry value printed on most quotations. The method is explained in our banana carton guide (the same humid cold chain).

Parameter	What to specify for the 4 kg mango carton	Basis
Construction	One-piece tray with reinforced corners, open or lidded; one layer of fruit	Trade practice
Minimum board	C-flute corrugated, 200 lb burst strength; double wall for long-transit programmes	NMB packaging study (minimum for its two tray designs)
Edge crush (ECT)	No ECT minimum is published in the NMB study; ask your supplier for the measured ECT of the board offered	Not specified by NMB
Compression reference	Existing 4 kg trays tested in the study averaged about 690 to 1,270 lb (Brazil samples) and about 1,180 to 1,300 lb (Peru samples), dry; ask for your box's value after humid conditioning	NMB packaging study, Tables 1 and 2
Paper and coating	Kraft with a moisture-resistant treatment; we recommend wax-free board so the box stays recyclable; smooth interior so the skin is not marked	Fuxing recommendation
Ventilation	Openings on all four faces, aligned between layers so pre-cooling air crosses the pallet. The study found the horizontal side openings more critical for cooling than vertical openings in the tray bottom	NMB packaging study
Inside height	Two heights for round varieties (counts 6–9 and 10–14); a separate height for Ataulfo	Trade practice
Pallet securing	Corner posts with 10–11 horizontal straps on intermodal shipments from South America; 5–7 straps on truck shipments from Mexico	Observed in the NMB study
Print and traceability	Flexo, 2 to 4 colours: brand, variety, count, net weight, country of origin, packhouse and orchard codes, lot. FSC paper on request	Trade practice

Where single-use board suffers most is inside the packhouse, between the treatment tank, cooling and the packing table. On that internal loop many packers replace it with a 4–5 mm PP corrugated plastic box that absorbs neither water nor latex, is washed and goes back on the line. We compare the cost per trip in PP box vs cardboard, and explain sheet thickness in the corrugated plastic thickness guide.

Hot-water treatment and storage temperatures

Mangoes from Mexico and Central America enter the United States under a quarantine treatment, most commonly the USDA APHIS hot-water dip (schedule T102-a), applied at a certified facility in the country of origin under APHIS monitoring. Fruit must be pre-sorted by weight class; mixed loads cannot be treated. The NMB crop report also notes that late-season Mexican shipments are treated with irradiation instead.

Step	Condition	Source
Hot-water dip, water temperature	115 °F (46.1 °C) or above for the whole treatment; fruit pulp at 70 °F (21.1 °C) or above before starting	USDA APHIS, T102-a (Federal Register, 2003)
Flat, elongated varieties (for example Ataulfo)	Up to 375 g: 65 minutes · 375–570 g: 75 minutes	Same
Rounded varieties (Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt)	Up to 500 g: 75 minutes · 500–700 g: 90 minutes · 701–900 g: 110 minutes	Same
Hydrocooling after the dip	If hydrocooling starts within 30 minutes of the dip, add 10 minutes to the dip time; hydrocooling water not below 70 °F (21.1 °C)	Same
Storage, mature-green fruit	13 °C (55 °F), 90–95 % relative humidity; 2–4 weeks in air, 3–6 weeks in controlled atmosphere	UC Davis Postharvest Center
Storage, partially ripe and ripe fruit	10 °C (50 °F), 90–95 % relative humidity	UC Davis Postharvest Center
Controlled atmosphere	3–5 % O₂ and 5–8 % CO₂	UC Davis Postharvest Center

The dip times shown are the schedule for Mexico and Central America as published in the Federal Register (proposed January 2, 2003; final rule effective May 23, 2003). Other origins, including South America, have their own tables. Schedules are amended from time to time: always confirm the schedule in force with your APHIS-certified treatment facility. This page is packaging guidance, not phytosanitary advice.

Harvest crates: rigid plastic, cardboard or PP corrugated plastic

Mangoes bleed latex when they are cut from the tree. If fruit comes down from the orchard tightly packed or rubbing, latex and pressure leave marks that the packhouse later downgrades. The package used on that stretch almost never appears in the carton quotation, and it is where premium counts are lost.

Option	Capacity and usual dimensions	Advantages	Limits	Relative cost per trip
Injection-moulded rigid crate	18–22 kg; 530 × 360 × 300 mm or similar	Very strong, stackable, washable	Does not fold: the return truck travels full of air; inside edges mark the fruit if overfilled	Low if it lasts several seasons; high in return logistics
Single-use corrugated cardboard box	10–15 kg	No return, no washing	A new box every trip; softens with latex, dew and treatment water	The highest in programmes with more than 3 trips a week
Foldable PP corrugated plastic box	15–20 kg; 600 × 400 × 250–300 mm; 4–5 mm sheet	Washed and sanitised, absorbs no latex or water, smooth surface, folds flat to about a quarter of its volume, printed with orchard and lot	Must be recovered: needs inventory control between orchard and packhouse	Pays back over tens of trips; after that it costs only the wash

How to specify thickness, sheet weight and static load is in the PP produce box specification template, and the per-trip maths in the harvest bins cost guide. Capacities and dimensions above are typical values from our Spanish-language guide for Mexican packers, not test results; ask for the static load of the exact crate quoted.

U.S. importers of PP corrugated boxes, note: boxes made in our Philippine plant carry 0% U.S. AD/CVD — not 0% import duty; 12.5% Section 301 (since Jul 24, 2026) + normal HTSUS duty, confirm with your broker. Details in PP boxes from the Philippines.

Boxes per pallet and per 40 ft reefer

Mangoes fill the equipment by volume before weight: one layer of fruit per box and generous venting mean the container is full before it is heavy. Every extra layer the carton can carry lowers the freight per kilogram, which is why wet compression strength is a freight question as much as a quality one.

NMB study design	Tray (outside)	Tray capacity	Layout × layers	Trays per 40 × 48 in pallet	Pallet load	40 ft container (20 pallets)
"12 down"	12.875 × 11.75 × 4 in	5 kg (11 lb)	4 × 3, 12 layers	144	750 kg	2,880 trays
"15 down"	13.2 × 9.5 × 4 in	3.75 kg (8.3 lb)	5 × 3, 13 layers	195	762 kg	3,900 trays

Source: National Mango Board packaging standardization study (Cal Poly / Michigan State University), Table 3; container totals are 20 pallets multiplied by trays per pallet. The study works with a 34,000 lb payload limit for a 40 ft container on a tandem-axle truck. Counted at the 4 kg statistical box, the same loads equal 576–780 kg of fruit per pallet and 11.5–15.6 t per container. For 53 ft trailers the study lowers the 15-down pallet to 12 layers (180 trays, 706 kg). Existing Brazilian and Peruvian pallets observed in the study were 12 per layer and 21 layers high (252 boxes): confirm your own pattern with the usable height of the equipment and the wet compression of your carton.

Ordering calendar by origin

For printed cartons and PP crates made in Asia the arithmetic for Mexico is 1–2 weeks of artwork and samples, 3–4 weeks of factory time, 30–35 days at sea to Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas or Mazatlán and about a week of clearance: 10 to 12 weeks in total. Packers in Peru, Ecuador and Brazil should replace the sea leg with the transit time quoted to their own port.

Origin	Shipping window to the U.S.	Order close (10–12 weeks before first shipment)	What is bought
Mexico: Chiapas and Oaxaca (Ataulfo, Tommy Atkins)	January–April	October–November (now)	4 kg cartons for Ataulfo and for round varieties, PP harvest crates
Mexico: Guerrero, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima	March–June	December–January	4 kg cartons in two heights, PP crates
Mexico: Nayarit and Sinaloa (Kent, Keitt)	June–September	March–April	4 kg cartons for large counts, crate replenishment
Brazil	Second week of July to second week of December (NMB, 2026)	Late April–early May, adjusted for your transit	4 kg cartons, corner posts, PP crates
Ecuador	Third week of September to first week of January (NMB, 2026)	Late June–early July, adjusted for your transit	4 kg cartons for Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins, PP crates
Peru	First week of October to first week of March (2024–25 season; single trade-press source)	Mid-July, adjusted for your transit	4 kg cartons for Kent, PP crates

If the order closes late there are two honest ways out: unprinted cartons and standard crates (2–3 weeks of factory time), or consolidating corrugated cartons, PP crates and retail bags in one container so you do not wait for two shipments.

RFQ checklist: data to demand with a mango packaging quotation

Component	Data to demand in writing	Why it matters
4 kg corrugated carton	Flute and number of plies, liner and medium basis weights, burst strength, ECT, compression strength measured wet, position and percentage of ventilation, inside height per count range, inside and outside dimensions, stacking pattern, print type, FSC	Decides whether the pallet arrives straight after hot-water treatment and 2–4 weeks at 10–13 °C and 90–95 % humidity
PP harvest crate	Sheet thickness in mm, sheet weight, static and dynamic load, ventilation, washing and sanitising method, folded quantity per container	Sets reuse and cost per orchard-to-packhouse trip
Retail bag or mesh	Material, microns, size, print, barcode	Supermarket programmes; see the produce packaging supplier checklist
Supplier	ISO 9001 / ISO 14001, FSC, SGS verification; physical samples before the order; minimum quantity; true factory lead time plus transit; one technical contact	Backs your claim if the packaging does not meet its data sheet

Corrugated cartons, PP crates and bags for mangoes, from one supplier

Fuxing Group manufactures FSC corrugated cartons, foldable PP corrugated plastic boxes and fruit and vegetable bags in China, Vietnam and the Philippines, with ISO 9001 and SGS verification. We deliver basis weights, wet compression, thickness and static load in writing with every quotation, send samples before the order and consolidate cartons, crates and bags in the same container. Quotation in English or Spanish within 12 hours.

Quote on WhatsApp Email jacky@fuxinggroup.cn

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Frequently asked questions

What box is used to ship mangoes to the United States?: The ventilated, single-layer corrugated carton of 4 kg (8.8 lb). It is the unit the National Mango Board uses to count shipments from Mexico, Brazil and Ecuador. Fruit is sold by count, meaning the number of mangoes in the box: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14 for round varieties such as Tommy Atkins, Kent and Keitt, and 12 to 22 for Ataulfo (honey) mangoes. The minimum board documented in the National Mango Board packaging study is C-flute corrugated with a 200 lb burst strength.
What do mango counts mean and how much does each fruit weigh?: The count is the number of mangoes that fill one 4 kg box, so the average fruit weight is 4,000 g divided by the count: about 665 g for a 6 count, 500 g for an 8, 400 g for a 10, 335 g for a 12 and 285 g for a 14. In Ataulfo, a 16 count is about 250 g and a 20 count about 200 g. Large fruit is also taller, and the National Mango Board study concluded that one 4 kg tray cannot accommodate the whole 5 to 18 count range, which is why packers run two inside heights.
How many 4 kg mango boxes fit on a pallet and in a 40 ft reefer?: On a 40 by 48 inch GMA pallet, the two designs in the National Mango Board packaging study load 144 trays (12 per layer, 12 layers) or 195 trays (15 per layer, 13 layers), with pallet loads of 750 kg and 762 kg. At 20 pallets, a 40 ft container carries 2,880 to 3,900 trays. Counted at the 4 kg statistical box that is 11.5 to 15.6 tonnes of fruit. Many packers stack higher: the study saw Brazilian and Peruvian pallets at 12 per layer and 21 layers, so confirm your own pattern against the usable height of the container and the compression strength of your carton.
How does hot-water treatment affect the mango carton?: Mangoes treated under USDA APHIS schedule T102-a are immersed in water at 115 °F (46.1 °C) or above for 65 to 110 minutes depending on shape and weight, then cooled. Fruit can reach the packing table still damp and warm, and the box then spends 2 to 4 weeks at 10 to 13 °C and 90 to 95 % relative humidity (UC Davis recommendations). That is why the carton should be specified by compression strength measured wet, with moisture-resistant paper and vents aligned between layers, and not by the dry value alone.
Are PP corrugated plastic harvest crates worth it for mangoes?: Yes, when the orchard and the packhouse recover the crate. A foldable PP corrugated plastic box in 4 to 5 mm sheet, 600 by 400 mm, carries 15 to 20 kg of mangoes, does not absorb latex or wash water, can be washed and sanitised, and folds flat to about a quarter of its volume when empty. The smooth surface reduces the rub and latex marks that later downgrade fruit. Against the rigid injection-moulded crate, the return truck does not travel full of air. If crates are not recovered, a reusable crate does not pay.
When should I confirm boxes and crates for the next mango season?: Count 10 to 12 weeks back from the first shipment: 1 to 2 weeks for artwork and samples, 3 to 4 weeks of factory time and 30 to 35 days at sea from Asia to Manzanillo, Lázaro Cárdenas or Mazatlán. For Chiapas and Oaxaca, which open in January and February, the order closes in October and November; for Guerrero, Michoacán, Jalisco and Colima, in December and January; for Nayarit and Sinaloa, in March and April. Brazil starts shipping to the U.S. in the second week of July and Ecuador in the third week of September, so count back from those dates with your own transit time.

Sources

National Mango Board, Mango Crop Report, updated September 30, 2026 (boxes shipped, season windows and projections for Mexico, Brazil and Ecuador; box = 8.8 lb / 4 kg).
National Mango Board, Development of New Standardized Package System (J. Singh, K. Saha and S. P. Singh): executive summary and final report (C-flute and 200 lb burst minimum, tray dimensions, pallet patterns, compression tests, strapping).
USDA APHIS, hot water dip treatment for mangoes, schedule T102-a: Federal Register proposed rule of January 2, 2003 and final rule of May 23, 2003.
UC Davis Postharvest Research and Extension Center, Mango produce fact sheet (storage temperature, humidity, postharvest life, controlled atmosphere).
Trade press, not official: FreshFruitPortal, April 13, 2026 (SADER/Senasica orchard and tonnage figures) and February 2025 (Peru season window quoted from the NMB crop report).
Count ranges per variety, crate capacities and dimensions, lead times and the Mexican regional calendar: Fuxing's Spanish-language guide for Mexican packers (trade practice, not laboratory data).