Large size fruit from Brazil
Brazil has had an excellent mango season this year. “Right now, we are still receiving mangos from Brazil and we will keep it pumping as long as we can,” says Greg Golden with Amazon Produce Network. “Our company has been concentrating on selling fruit that’s both large in size as well as fiberless and the country is able to offer both. They are having an excellent season: a great share of production is size 9 ct. or larger and we are able to get premium varieties like fiberless Keitt, Palmer and Kent.” Golden shared that mango shipments out of Brazil will continue to leave for the next three weeks and product will come into the US until mid-December. “When the Brazilian mango season is set and done, I think the volume will have broken the record for the last decade.”
Tommy Atkins from Brazil in large format 5-Down box.
Small sizes for Ecuador
Mango news out of Ecuador on the other hand is less promising. It’s a difficult year for Ecuadorian mango growers as they started off with poor and late flowering. As a result, the crop is late, and sizing is very small which is a perennial problem. “This year, their size will peak on 12 ct.” In addition, Ecuador’s Kents and Keitts are so late this year that they will not get to the market before Peru Kents start. They have Haden, but the sizing is all 12/14 so it doesn’t find a premium in the market,” Golden said. The country grows mostly Tommy Atkins mangos. “We’ve already started sourcing from Ecuador, but in weeks 49, 50 and 51 arrivals from Ecuador will be peaking.” They are trying to set a ceiling by shipping no more than 270 loads a week in order not to destroy the market. However, in some weeks the market may see more than that due to timing of vessel arrivals. “It is going to be a difficult season for them, but we will do everything we can to make it better.”
Organic Tommy Atkins mangos from Ecuador. New style PLU to draw attention and to make sure they get checked out at the register correctly.
Eagerly waiting for Peru
Although Ecuador’s season isn’t peaking yet, everyone is already looking forward to Peru. The country has already started packing Ataulfo mangos and will start shipping Kents in the first week of December. About 95 percent of Peru’s crop is Kent and first shipments in the US are expected to arrive by mid-December.
Amazon team members visiting their largest grower-partner in Peru last week. Third from left, Gilmar Mello, partner in Amazon and fourth from left David Ponce, Amazon's grower relations manager.
For more information:
Greg Golden
Amazon Produce Network
Tel: 856-442-0410
greg@amazonprod.com
www.amazonprod.com