Costa Rican pineapples are seeing good volumes and quality right now, say Adriana Garcia of Chestnut Hill Farms. The volumes are actually above the numbers for the same period last year, and the market is happily absorbing these extra volumes.
Garcia shares: “The total export volume of pineapples out of Costa Rica is about 9% above the first months of 2020, but the market has absorbed this growth and demand has been very steady. Retailers are working on keeping up the momentum and sell as much volume as they did last year during the first months of the pandemic. We expect that volumes will continue in the same trend until the natural flowering season, when they will increase.”
Cool nights and little rain
The Costa Rican weather recently has contributed to the good volumes and quality, says Garcia. “The limited precipitation of the past month has enabled us to have all agricultural practices completed on time,” she says, adding: “Of some concern are the nighttime temperatures that continue to be low, raising the specter of late natural flowering events. But we continue to adjust harvest age, a balancing act to maintain an appropriate balance between quality parameters and harvest volume, and we have been managing well – the fruit quality remains outstanding.”
The market is currently stable with high demand and enough volumes to meet the demand. Garcia expects that in the coming months, the demand will continue to rise. “Prices and demand increased for Easter last year and that is what we are expecting this year too. The harvest volumes are on the rise to meet the market demand for Easter and Mother’s Day,” she concludes.
For more information:
Adriana Garcia
Chestnut Hill Farms
Tel: +1 (305) 463-7676 x 134
Email: adrianag@chfusa.com
www.chfusa.com