Papaya supplies continue to be tight out of Mexico.
Supplies of the vitamin C-packed fruit have been on the shorter side for the past few months and is likely attributed to the extra rains the Mexican rainy season saw this year says Lance Peterson of Pharr, TX.-based Super Starr International. He also adds that fruit sizes are also a bit smaller currently.
“I don’t see papaya supplies building back up soon--it may still hold about the same, it may come up a little bit. But nothing significant, at least for the next couple of months,” he says.
Usual demand pattern
This does happen to be the time of year though when demand for papayas softens because of the holidays. “But there’s not a whole lot of supplies so we’re not desperate to get it moved,” Peterson says, noting demand will strengthen again once healthy-eating New Year’s resolutions kick in, likely the second or third week of January.
All of this means pricing has come off on papaya which largely traces back to that softened demand. “Pricing has come down and right now it’s $17-$18 for a regular box. I expect it to hang around there probably until the beginning of the year,” says Peterson. “The price was an expected change. It usually happens right after Thanksgiving. Pricing had been, because supply was so short before Thanksgiving, around $22-$24.”
For more information:
Lance Peterson
Superstarr International
Tel: +1 (956) 510-8126
[email protected]
www.superstarrinternational.com