“Limes out of Mexico are in short supply and this situation is expected to continue for another two to four weeks,” says Ronnie Cohen with Vision Import Group. Veracruz, the primary lime growing and exporting area in Mexico, typically sees lower production this time of year. “Over the years, production times have shifted and now volumes are higher earlier in the season and supplies are tight this time of the year,” Cohen mentioned.
Fewer loads into the US this week
Between March 9 and March 15, a total of 317 commercial loads of limes crossed the Texas border. Another 7 crossed the Arizona border and there were 35 crossings into California according to the USDA. The price fob Texas for a 40 lb. conventional box was in the high $40 range, even low $50s. Between March 16 and March 21, the number of crossings amounted to 250, 4 and 11 for Texas, Arizona and California respectively. “It was the lowest production week of the season,” said Cohen. With this week being Holy week, people harvest and export less as they spend time with their families. This is expected to impact the number of loads coming into the US.
In the past 14 days, a cold front came into Veracruz, followed by a spike in temperatures and then rain. Moist can negatively impact the quality of the fruit, but Cohen mentioned that “not all product coming into the US originates Veracruz. The region’s lime capitol Martinez de la Torre receives product from other growing areas as well and distributes it.”
Impact of bloom drop
The rains however did cause a bloom drop. “Given that the cycle from flower to fruit is 90 to 100 days, a production shortage is expected around June and July,” Cohen shared. In the short term, rain results in faster growth of the fruit. “The trees absorb the rain and accelerate growth of the limes, which means an improved supply situation in about a month.”
Challenging to steer the lime ship
“The lime market has changed significantly in the past 10 years,” said Cohen, who has been involved in the lime business for more than 20 years. In addition to Veracruz, other production areas have come into play with commercial production in Michoacán, Sinaloa, Sonora, Jalisco and Nayarit. “There is more production than we’ve ever seen. On the demand side, consumption has increased significantly in the past decade and we try to manage the size distribution as different regions in the US prefer different sizes. It has become more of a challenge to steer the lime ship. It’s definitely a roller coaster ride.”
For more information:
Ronnie Cohen
Vision Import Group
Tel: 201-968-1190