Avocado and mango prices on the rise

For about a month and a half, mangoes shipped by sea have suffered a decline in prices, failing to reach 3 Euro per 4 kilo box in Europe; prices which do not cover production costs.

"The market has been oversupplied with mangoes from many sources, such as Brazil, Dominican Republic, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Costa Rica, which have had to compete strongly with the early entry of summer fruits, including stonefruit, melon and watermelon," explains Sigfrido Molina, manager of Sigfrido SLU, in an interview to FreshPlaza.

"Every year we have a period of decline in which the markets are saturated, and it takes about one or two months until the exporter comes to terms with the situation."

However, "from now on prices are expected to start increasing," he says. "The mangoes now arriving by sea come from Brazil, Senegal and Mali, which we imported indirectly."

Sigfrido is also working right now with mangoes imported directly by air from Mexico and the Dominican Republic. These play "in another league," he says. "Volumes are much lower; it is a much more demanding market which not only looks for a good presentation, but also very high quality. It is a true challenge to maintain such high standards throughout the whole year, and they get better every year."

"The Peruvian avocado campaign is currently in full swing, and to a lesser extent they are also arriving from Kenya. It is a product whose prices tend to remain at very high levels, although they dropped suddenly in June, making them very attractive for consumers," he explains. Europe consumes between 4 and 6 million kilos of avocado per week. If fewer than four million kilos are imported, prices rise exorbitantly. This week, prices have been on the rise again."

In Sigfrido's words: "Avocado demand is skyrocketing across Europe, including Spain, where it is becoming more and more popular and where consumers are increasingly specialised."

The Malaga-based company, which sold around 3 million kilos of mango and avocado last year, continues to grow with the recent opening of new handling facilities, as well as a technical department to offer free agricultural advice to producers. "Very few companies in the tropical sector provide such assistance to producers. It is a commercial line to ensure loyal clients and a reliable supply."