Pineapple supplies into the United States appear to be tightening up. It's possible that seasonal production in Costa Rica is weaker at the moment, but suppliers say the main reason is likely to be because producers are building up inventory in the lead up to Easter.
"Pineapple supplies have been a little bit short since last week," observed Jesse Garcia of LA Produce Distributors. "Size 7s have been short for two to three weeks already, but now we are seeing tighter supplies on 5s and 6s. There are some promotions coming up for Easter and it looks like the major producers are preparing for it in advance and building up supply."
Consequently, the market is also stronger compared with the same time last year. Garcia predicted that the strong prices will carry on for several more weeks. "Right now, it's a pretty strong market," he said. "Prices are in the $12 - $14 range and so long as producers are short on fruit, it will likely hold up for a few more weeks. Last year at this time, prices were around $9."
Easter seems to be a good holiday for pineapples
Perhaps it's because it makes for a colorful addition to a spring fruit bowl, but whatever the reason, suppliers seem to think that Easter is a good holiday for pineapple promotions. Costa Rica is the main supplier, but they're not alone, with Guatemala and Mexico also supplying the market.
"About 90 percent of our pineapples are sourced from Costa Rica," Garcia shared. "But we also get a small amount from Guatemala. Mexico is also a supplier but they tend to enter the market when prices rise, which is the case now."
LA Produce Distributors announced the opening of a new East Coast office back in September. This decision appears to be working well for the company, with more products being shipped out of there in the coming months. "Paul Ross in our East Coast office deals with mangoes, but we are now preparing for a lot of Chilean citrus this upcoming season which are expected to begin shipping in May," Garcia concluded.
For more information:
Jesse Garcia
LA Produce Distributors, LLC.
Ph: +1 (562) 448-5555
jgarcia@laproducedistributors.com
www.laproducedistributors.com