Promotions may increase with Mexican mangoes coming on

Supplies of mangoes from Peru are running a little longer this year.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

“There’s still some fruit out of southern Peru available so there’s going to be Peruvian fruit until the end of the month at least,” says Jesse Garcia of LA Produce Distributors in Los Angeles, CA. “It has a lot to do with the issues we had in the beginning of the season with space on the vessels and logistics. It was a real nightmare this year and normally Peru would end earlier because they could pick all their fruit and pack it fast.”

Peru, who is shipping Kent mangoes, is mostly shipping larger fruit currently–10s, 9s, 8s and 7s.

Meanwhile Mexico has also begun shipping mangoes. “It’s about a week or two earlier this year but every year they’re a bit earlier,” says Garcia. “The volume probably won’t start until two more weeks and then it will be heavy.”

Mexico is shipping Tommy Atkins and some Haden mangoes and is also shipping some big fruit. “But I think they’re going to start having a lot of 12s available,” says Garcia.

Increasing ads?

These supplies come at a time when mango demand has been mediocre. “There’s a lack of ads. But once we start seeing the volume out of Mexico, we’ll see more demand because there’ll be better promotions out there,” says Garcia. He adds that the lack of promotions is attributed to shippers being concerned around logistics and possibly not receiving fruit in time to fulfill promotions.

That said, with Mexican supplies coming on there might be somewhat of a reprieve in ocean logistics at least. “Mexico is a lot easier because you’re 3/4 of the way there. Pricing could be a little higher though because of freight and fuel prices the way they are. If a driver has to pay $6/gallon for diesel, they’re going to pass it on,” says Garcia.

Yet, thanks to increasing supplies, mango pricing has come down somewhat, though it’s similar to last year around this time. It’s currently FOB $6.50-$7.50.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

“Looking ahead, in the next few weeks, I expect to see decent volume from Mexico and smaller fruit and some promotions out there to keep the volume moving. I think if the fruit is smaller, it’ll be in the $5.50-$6 range on 12s,” adds Garcia.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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