The avocado market is still going strong. Mango prices, however, have fallen sharply in the last week. "Prices were still very good at the end of the West African season," says Sam Gielen of Frutos Tropicales Europe.
"That is when the Brazilian season started too. But then, the Israeli and Spanish mangos arrived. Prices fell sharply. They are currently at the €3-4 level for Tommy Atkins."
The Brazilian supply is also twice as high as last year's, adds Sam. He recently visited his FTB farms in Brazil. "The smaller exporters are looking for mangos. The larger growers, however, still have significant volumes. So, in the end, there are still ample opportunities. The Israeli season is coming to an end now. Hopefully, this will quickly lead to more attractive prices."
According to Sam, the mango season is going well when it comes to quality. "That counts for the Tommy Atkins as well as the Keith and Palmer varieties. We are pleased to be getting the first Kent mangos from Brazil next week."
"Southern European countries are usually more focused on the Palmer. This includes countries such as Italy, Spain, and Portugal. However, in Northwestern Europe, the Kent remains the favorite. There are even countries that do not want any Tommy Atkins at all anymore. But, there is still a decent acreage of this variety in Brazil. Luckily, our Eastern European clients know what to do with these."
Flamingo
"We have production and packaging facilities in Peru. These are used for mangos, grapes, and avocados. Also, we recently open facilities in Brazil at FTB. This facility will be used for exporting mangos, limes, and ginger. We combine a grower's and importer's knowledge. Thanks to this, we can find the perfect balance between our suppliers and clients. We package mangos, avocados, ginger, and blueberries. All under our own Flamingo label. It is going very well," says Sam.
"We are currently getting avocados from Mexico, Colombia, and Kenya. This market has been good for a while. It is getting colder now. That is making the ginger market more attractive again. It went through a difficult time."
"Last but not least, the market for Brazilian limes was depressed for a little while. However, at the moment, there are few of these fruits available in Brazil. The season is just about over there. Brazil will begin its new season at the end of November. Mexico also has limited availability. They had a long drought period. I, therefore, expect a revival on this market in the coming weeks," concludes Sam.
For more information:
Frutos Tropicales Europe
191 Klappolder
2665 MP Bleiswijk, NL
Tel. +31 (0) 103 075 100
info@fteurope.eu
www.fteurope.eu