Peru: Mango exports could fall by 50%

Last year, Peru exported about 6,000 containers of fresh mango to international markets. Expectations for this year were that there would be a 30% fall in exports as a result of El Niño and other climatic factors affecting the normal flowering of the mango.

"Total exports until Week 2 of 2015 were 65% lower than the same date of the previous year. We expect the campaign to peak from week 2 to week 5 and when the statistics are published we hope the number will improve, but we won't reach the 4,000 containers, "said Javier Delgado, director of the Dominus Company.

Dominus is one of the three largest maritime exporters of mango in Peru. In the previous season the company shipped about 530 containers of mango and, despite the large drop in volume nationwide, the company expects to export only 10% less than last year.

This large drop in the Peruvian offer has taken many people in the sector by surprise and estimates are that only between 2,900 and 3,500 containers will be exported this season, which could mean a 50% drop.

"The Ecuadorian campaign has fallen short, Brazil no longer has stock ... Peru has been almost alone in international markets and there will definitely be a shortage of mangoes," says Javier.

Prices are expected to increase because of the shortage of mango and because of the relatively mild winter in Europe, which is helping the demand for tropical fruit to remain high.

"We expect this campaign will have historically high prices that will be 50% higher than in 2014. Peru will have to continue to respond with quality, as it has done so far, if it wants this season to be positive," Javier said.

Kent and Keitt

80% of the mango exported is of the Kent variety and the remaining 20% is of the Keitt variety, which are sold at similar prices in the European market. According to Javier, the English prefer the Kent variety and the people in the Netherlands have no preference if the fruit is of high quality.

"The Spanish market has been very welcoming to the Keitt mango and demand is strong. It is a country where the customers value the mango's sweetness, so to ensure the success of this variety, which is naturally less sweet than the Kent variety, we had to use a less aggressive cooling process and collect it at the right time. As a result, we got an excellent balance between acidity and sweetness. This delicately citrus flavour is liked very much by the Spaniards, "says Javier Delgado.

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