Prices jump (in theory) as mango deal shifts to Brazil
09/13/2011 4:33:12 PM
Andy Nelson
Prices have jumped $2 to $4 per box as the Mexican mango deal yields to Brazil. Pompano Beach, Fla.-based Central American Produce Inc. expected to wind down its Mexican mango deal the week of Sept. 12 and to begin shipping Brazilian mangoes the following week, said Sabine Henry, the company’s tropicals manager.
Central American will likely have a supply gap because of dwindling supplies from Mexico and a late start to its Brazilian deal, Henry said.
By September, Mexican supplies had fallen from 14-16 loads per week to eight to 10 loads, and early-season Brazilian shipments would likely total only three or four weekly loads.
On Sept. 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported prices of $6.50-7 for boxes of tommy atkinses 7s from Brazil, up from $6-6.50 last year at the same time.
A “few stragglers” would continue to ship from Mexico until about the third week of September until the deal winds down for good, said Chris Ciruli, a partner in Nogales, Ariz.-based Ciruli Bros.
By season’s end, about 54 million boxes will have shipped from Mexico, up from 50.9 million last season, Ciruli said. Volumes increased despite freeze damage in some late-season growing areas.
Demand was low at the end of the deal, Ciruli said, with boxes fetching $4-4.75 instead of the $5-6 more typical of the past few years at the same time.
Brazilian volumes will likely ramp up industrywide by the end of September, Henry said.
Quality on late-season Mexican keitts has been less than ideal, with rain producing spotting, Henry said.
“I’m pretty sure customers will be happy to get back to Tommys,” Henry said, referring to the early-season tommy atkins mangoes that will be shipping from Brazil.
The higher cost of Brazilian product out of the gate will likely temper demand, which Henry predicts will be “pretty good” as the deal switches regions.
“We’ll be going from $3-4 for keitts to $6-7 for tommys,” she said.
Early reports indicated good quality on Brazilian fruit this season, Henry said.
http://www.thepacker.com/fruit-vegetable-news/fresh-produce-retail/Prices-jump-as-mango-deal-shifts-to-Brazil-129758938.html
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