There is slightly less volume on limes coming out of Mexico right now. “Because of the heat that we experienced this summer in the growing regions, it is a little bit less volume than in other years as we’re a couple of weeks into the new crop,” says Cassidy Baker of Earth Source. “We haven’t seen many reports of bloom drops due to the heat so it could get better. However, as we enter winter, we do see less stock so it will be an interesting year.”
Photos: Grupo Mifa, a Mexican organic lime grower.
She also notes that the limes coming across are seeing a shorter shelf life that’s also impacting quantity. “We’re seeing a lot of loss in Mexico due to rework for quality,” she adds.
Along with Mexico, Colombia ships limes year-round and that fruit is especially popular during the winter when Mexican supplies decrease. “So Colombia is a larger player this year. Also in Peru, growers are reporting they’ll be starting a bit later because of the El Niño weather they had last year. We’re expecting another El Niño season starting in November so that could affect quality as we head into winter,” Baker says.
Organic versus economic
Meanwhile, demand continues to grow on limes. Baker notes that over the past few years, there have been greater pulls on organic limes, though that was balanced by some of the economic struggles seen in the U.S. Demand also feels stronger than this time last year.
All of this means that pricing is steadily going up on limes, which isn’t unusual. “It’s a bit higher than last year at this time,” she says, adding that reports of Mexican cartel interference could also factor in pricing volatility.
For more information:
Cassidy Baker
Earth Source
cassidyb@earthsource.com
www.earthsourcetrading.com