Brazilian mangos start later than last year; volume ramping up
Brazilian mangos start later than last year; volume ramping up
The mango deal in Brazil began several weeks later than last year, with some shippers saying that the harvest started the third week of August and others saying that it started nearer the end of the month.
Volume was very light, and several shippers said that heavy volumes likely wouldn't be reached until the end of September or early October.
Shippers generally noted that early quality out of Brazil was very good, but cool weather in Brazil had kept the Brix count down.
In mid-August with the mango deal in northern Mexico starting to wind down, the market for mangos was in the $2-3 range. By mid-September, the market had climbed over $7 with Mexico's season waning and light volumes of Tommy Atkins variety being shipped from Brazil.
Though the number of mango containers arriving in the United States from Brazil was climbing incrementally every week, by the second week of September the number stood at about 50 or 60 per week. That total was expected to jump to 150 containers per week by late September when the Brazilian deal would hit its stride.
Albert Perez, managing director of Lakeland, FL-based Farm-Wey Produce Inc., in part blames cool weather in Brazil for the late start. The company's first arrivals of mangos came around Aug. 29. Mr. Perez said that last year's early Brazil harvest competed with mangos out of Mexico, so this year Farm-Wey planned for a later harvest in Brazil.
Some shippers said that there were quality issues with late-season mangos from Mexico and they were looking forward to volume picking up out of Brazil.
Opinions varied on the quality of product coming from different countries, but growers are focusing on their food-safety standards. Larry Nienkerk, manager and co-owner of Burlingame, CA-based Splendid Products, said that his company has paid considerable attention to the safety of the food chain and will continue partnering with sheds certified through Primus Labs.
John-Campbell Barmmer, director of marketing for Miami-based Bounty Fresh LLC, said that the companys mangos in Peru are "HAACP and Europe approved," noting that Europe's certification criteria -- which take into account treatment of workers and effects on the environment -- are stiffer than U.S. criteria.
Some shippers such as Bounty Fresh take part in the deal in Ecuador as a way of bridging the gap between the end of the higher-quality part of the Brazil deal and the start of the Peru deal around January.
Rick Durkin, a salesman for Bounty Fresh, said that the company is still trying to find the right area that will allow it to offer mangos 52 weeks a year. At present, there's about an eight-week gap in the company's supply beginning in mid-June.
George Mendez of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, AZ, said that there's plenty of room for mango sales in the United States to grow. Research has shown that "30 percent of the people in the United States regularly consume mangos," Mr. Mendez said. Yet only 1 or 2 percent of the mangos grown in the United States -- in Florida and California -- are grown here, he said.
One goal in the industry is to double the amount of mangos consumed in the United States within the next three years, he said, a goal which will be aided by the promotional efforts of the National Mango Board.
(A full report on South American mangos appears in the Sept. 26 issue of The Produce News.)
Volume was very light, and several shippers said that heavy volumes likely wouldn't be reached until the end of September or early October.
Shippers generally noted that early quality out of Brazil was very good, but cool weather in Brazil had kept the Brix count down.
In mid-August with the mango deal in northern Mexico starting to wind down, the market for mangos was in the $2-3 range. By mid-September, the market had climbed over $7 with Mexico's season waning and light volumes of Tommy Atkins variety being shipped from Brazil.
Though the number of mango containers arriving in the United States from Brazil was climbing incrementally every week, by the second week of September the number stood at about 50 or 60 per week. That total was expected to jump to 150 containers per week by late September when the Brazilian deal would hit its stride.
Albert Perez, managing director of Lakeland, FL-based Farm-Wey Produce Inc., in part blames cool weather in Brazil for the late start. The company's first arrivals of mangos came around Aug. 29. Mr. Perez said that last year's early Brazil harvest competed with mangos out of Mexico, so this year Farm-Wey planned for a later harvest in Brazil.
Some shippers said that there were quality issues with late-season mangos from Mexico and they were looking forward to volume picking up out of Brazil.
Opinions varied on the quality of product coming from different countries, but growers are focusing on their food-safety standards. Larry Nienkerk, manager and co-owner of Burlingame, CA-based Splendid Products, said that his company has paid considerable attention to the safety of the food chain and will continue partnering with sheds certified through Primus Labs.
John-Campbell Barmmer, director of marketing for Miami-based Bounty Fresh LLC, said that the companys mangos in Peru are "HAACP and Europe approved," noting that Europe's certification criteria -- which take into account treatment of workers and effects on the environment -- are stiffer than U.S. criteria.
Some shippers such as Bounty Fresh take part in the deal in Ecuador as a way of bridging the gap between the end of the higher-quality part of the Brazil deal and the start of the Peru deal around January.
Rick Durkin, a salesman for Bounty Fresh, said that the company is still trying to find the right area that will allow it to offer mangos 52 weeks a year. At present, there's about an eight-week gap in the company's supply beginning in mid-June.
George Mendez of the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas in Nogales, AZ, said that there's plenty of room for mango sales in the United States to grow. Research has shown that "30 percent of the people in the United States regularly consume mangos," Mr. Mendez said. Yet only 1 or 2 percent of the mangos grown in the United States -- in Florida and California -- are grown here, he said.
One goal in the industry is to double the amount of mangos consumed in the United States within the next three years, he said, a goal which will be aided by the promotional efforts of the National Mango Board.
(A full report on South American mangos appears in the Sept. 26 issue of The Produce News.)
