The mango season is once again in transition as suppliers move major supply from Ecuador to Peru for the next couple of months. Volume has been strong in South America, leading to plentiful supply.
"The Ecuador mango season is practically at an end," said Sabine Henry, of Central American Produce. "The last loads were shipped last week which officially concluded the season there. We are now beginning the Peru season which will continue through to the end of February which is when Nicaragua takes over."
"Volume has been strong and there has been a lot of fruit around," Henry continued. "We've seen a bit more volume on the honey mangoes this year, particularly from Peru. There have been some honey mangoes from Ecuador also, however the biggest volume from there is on the Tommy variety."
Prices remain low for South American mangoes
Demand for mango in the United States has been low recently, with suppliers blaming the cold weather. This, combined with the ample volume of fruit, has meant that prices on mango remain low. The entire South American season has been affected, which began when the Mexico season ran very late.
"It's been a tough year for South American growers," Henry said. "It started with Brazil which had a terrible season. We were still seeing mangoes from Mexico in stores into October, which is very late. This directly affected the Brazil season and impacted the market there. There has been a lot of volume out of both Ecuador and Peru. Additionally, US demand has been soft due to the cold weather recently, which has kept a lid on prices."
"Prices out of Peru are currently between $4 - $5, and for growers to do well, they really need to be above $5.50," she added. "As a result, growers are continuing to struggle. We are hoping for better weather in the US to improve demand and we are optimistic that the next few weeks will see a recovery in the market."
For more information:
Sabine Henry
Central American Produce
Tel: +1 (954) 943-2303