Rainy weather in Mexico has made for light supplies of limes coming into the United States. Before the dip in production, imports had outpaced supplies and kept prices down.“I think the market is a little better right now than it was before Christmas,” said Blake Brandt of Brandt Produce in Edinburg, Texas. “They had a little bit of weather down in Mexico, and that created a gap in volume. So there's a bit of a shortfall in supplies.” Though not excessive, continued rain has kept Mexican lime growers busy this week.
The dip in production has strengthened prices. At the end of last year, prices for a 40-pound carton of seedless 110s from Mexico were between $8.00 and $11.00 per carton at crossings through Texas, and prices for a carton of 150s were between $9.00 and $12.00. Brandt said he's seen prices at the start of this year between $12.00 and $14.00 per carton.
“The season has been weaker than normal up to this point,” said Brandt. “We had more supplies than demand, so prices were cheaper than normal. This dip in supplies has benefited us, but we don't know how long it will last.”
For more information:
Blake Brandt
Brandt Produce
+1 956 843 7144