Supplies of guava into the US remain strained because of the dual factor of cooler seasonal weather as well as the fact that trees are still recovering from last year's frost. The good news is that growers say production looks set to improve in the foreseeable future.
"Guava grows year round in Mexico in different regions," noted Alberto Diaz of Spring Valley Fruits. "For us, Michoacán is able to supply guava year-round, while between the months of September to April, we also receive fruit from Aguascalientes. Currently, supplies are medium to low. This is because last year, there was a frost in Aguascalientes which damaged some of the guava trees. As a result, the trees are still recovering but should return to normal production next year."
Market now steady
Because demand is also limited at this time of year, prices have remained steady for the most part. According to Diaz, the market experienced a strong period at the end of last year when demand rose and production was still light. Things have eased now, but suppliers are satisfied with the way the market is positioned.
"At the end of last year, we saw good demand and lower production which resulted in increased prices," Diaz shared. "Typically though, the price for guava remains relatively steady throughout the year, which is the case now. During summer, we have a harder time competing with other fruits so the market is harder to predict during those months."
Plenty of potential
Growers of guava say that many people are still unfamiliar with the fruit. Because there are a lot of people from Asian countries that are already steady consumers of guava, suppliers are concentrating on educating American consumers regarding the health benefits of guava.
"In my opinion, guava has a lot of potential to grow," explained Diaz. "It has great health benefits due to the elevated content of vitamin C, much more so than other fruits like oranges. India is the largest producer of guava in the world. They grow many different varieties including Allahabad' and L-49, but the variety they produce the most is Thai guava which is slightly different from Mexican guava, but still in the same category. As a result, consumers from Asian countries are already familiar with guava and are now the largest consumers of the fruit in the United States. However, there are many people that do not know what a guava is and that is a huge opportunity - a big potential market willing to experience new flavors, new aromas and to eat healthy foods."
For more information:
Alberto Diaz
Spring Valley Fruits
Ph: +1 (956) 618-2239
albertodiaz@springvalleyfruits.com
www.premiumguava.com