Get Egyptian mango packing right and fruit arrives looking like it was picked yesterday; get it wrong and premium mangoes reach the shelf bruised, sweated, and discounted. This guide covers the full packing specification an importer should demand — carton formats, counts and sizing, wrapping, palletization, container loading, and labeling per market. It expands the packing section of the complete Egyptian mango export guide.
Last updated: July 2026 · By the Nile Prime export team
Table of Contents
- Export Carton Formats
- Counts & Size Grading
- Wrapping, Liners & Fruit Protection
- Palletization & Container Loading
- Labeling Requirements by Market
- Egyptian Mango Packing — FAQ
- Get the Full Packing Spec Sheet
Export Carton Formats
| Format | Net Weight | Layout | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard telescopic | 4.5 kg | Single layer, 6–12 fruit | The global default — retail and wholesale everywhere |
| Premium flat | 2.5–3 kg | Single layer, 4–8 fruit, sleeved | Gulf premium retail, air-freighted indigenous varieties |
| Bulk carton | 10 kg | Double layer with divider | Wholesale markets, processing-grade fruit |
| Branded display | 4.5 kg | Single layer, printed carton | Shelf-ready programs — the Nile Prime standard |
All formats are ventilated corrugated board with moisture-resistant coating — reefer humidity runs at 90%, and an uncoated carton loses stacking strength mid-voyage. Single-layer packing is non-negotiable for export fruit: mangoes stacked on mangoes bruise under their own weight over a two-week transit.
Counts & Size Grading
| Count (per 4.5 kg) | Fruit Weight | Typical Varieties | Demand Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 700–900 g | Keitt, Fagri Kelan | Wholesale, food service |
| 7–8 | 550–700 g | Keitt, Kent | Strongest retail demand — premium pricing |
| 9–10 | 450–550 g | Kent, Shelly, Naomi | Core retail counts |
| 12 | 350–450 g | Naomi, Owaisi, Sedeeka | Multi-fruit retail packs, indigenous premiums |
Size uniformity inside the carton matters as much as the count itself — a professional packhouse grades to ±25 g within a carton. Ask for a count distribution per lot, not just “mixed sizes”: which counts you receive decides which shelf the fruit can go on. Variety-by-variety size ranges are in the varieties guide.
Wrapping, Liners & Fruit Protection
- Individual paper wrap or foam sleeve — standard in premium programs; eliminates rub marks and spreads pressure. Every Nile Prime premium carton ships wrapped.
- Paper shred or molded trays — immobilizes fruit inside the carton; loose fruit in a half-empty carton arrives bruised.
- Perforated carton liners — buffer humidity swings without trapping condensation.
- No plastic bags — sealed plastic sweats fruit inside a reefer and accelerates rot; if a supplier proposes it, keep looking.
Palletization & Container Loading
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pallet type | Wooden ISPM-15 treated, 1.2 × 1.0 m |
| Cartons per pallet | 240–260 (4.5 kg format), corner boards + strapping + net |
| Pallets per 40-ft reefer | 20 |
| Payload per container | ~21–23 tonnes net fruit |
| Reefer settings | 10–12°C, 90% RH, vents 25–35 CBM/h |
| Pre-cooling | Fruit at pulp 10–12°C before loading — never field-hot into the box |
Airflow is the silent quality factor: pallets stacked to block the reefer’s air channels create warm pockets that ripen fruit mid-ocean. Ask your exporter for the load plan photo before the doors close — a disciplined packhouse photographs every loading as standard.
Labeling Requirements by Market
| Market | Carton Label Must Show | Extras |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf (SFDA/UAE) | Product, variety, origin, net weight, packer, production/packing date | Arabic labeling, importer details |
| EU / UK | Class, variety, origin, count/size, lot code, packer ID | GGN where retail requires |
| Russia / EAEU | Product, origin, weight, packer, date | EAEU conformity marks per importer |
Lot codes on every carton are your traceability thread — one code should connect carton → packing day → orchard block. It is also what makes a quality claim resolvable, as covered in the traceability section of the main guide.
Egyptian Mango Packing — FAQ
What is the standard export carton for Egyptian mangoes?
A single-layer ventilated telescopic carton of 4.5 kg net, holding 6–12 fruit by size, moisture-coated for reefer humidity, palletized at 240–260 cartons per pallet.
How many mangoes fit in a 40-ft reefer container?
Twenty pallets of 240–260 cartons each — roughly 21–23 tonnes of net fruit, or about 5,000 cartons of the standard 4.5 kg format.
What temperature are Egyptian mangoes shipped at?
10–12°C pulp temperature at 90% relative humidity, with fruit pre-cooled before loading. Below 8°C causes chilling injury; field-hot loading shortens shelf life by days.
Which carton counts sell best at retail?
Counts 7–9 (fruit of 450–700 g) carry the strongest retail demand and pricing in most markets. Count 12 serves multi-fruit packs and the smaller indigenous premium varieties.
Get the Full Packing Spec Sheet
Nile Prime ships branded display cartons, premium wrapped flats, and standard telescopics — with load plans and QC photos on every shipment. Request the full spec sheet with carton drawings: WhatsApp +20 109 911 1918 · [email protected] · Egyptian mangoes — product page. Time your order against the season calendar.
Sources: PEI Trade — Egyptian Mango Export Report 2026 · Tridge — Egypt mango intelligence.