Product destination defines how the tasks are assigned. Among mango exporters such tasks include pickers, carriers, graders, task lifter operators, labellers, conveyor coordinators and selection and packing lines coordinators, among others. Operation for domestic consumption does not demand careful selection; labour is mostly based on picking and packing. However, production for export requires more labour.

Mango packing needs activities that can be done by either men or women. Typically, a community producing mangoes for export opens a 4-week long job market that may incorporate the whole local population and preferably young men and women. Since mango fields and packing facilities are commonly located in rural areas, people from surrounding communities are employed. Young people but no children are allowed in picking because these workers usually carry crates with 50 kg fruit. The same applies to the packinghouse and hence no under age labour is used in these processes. Even though the job demands personnel of both genders, a recent survey in Mexico reported 63 percent males and 37 percent females of which men are more frequently employed for harvesting and women for packing. In the later case the typical age ranges from 15 to 19 years old. This personnel work on a temporary basis and only to supplement the household income. From all female workers, 82.3 percent were 15 to 39 years old and no elderly workers were noted. This was attributed to an over supply of young single women workers (73 percent of the work force). Similarly, 57.6 percent of the workingmen were single, but again, no elderly workers were hired. In the male-dominated harvest operation, illiteracy was greater (19.6 percent) than for the female-predominant packing operation (6 percent) (Barron et al, 1999).

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