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It’s entirely possible to have a year-round organic mango program by piecing together information from multiple and highly variable regions. As the Mexican mango season currently winds down, below is an overview of organic mangos crop forecasts from California, Ecuador, and Peru----and a recap of this year’s Mexico organic mango season.
Kent Mangoes
The Mexican season started out with massive delays and market shortages of round mangoes. Most of the season has been challenging on the grower side, trying to gauge fruit readiness and size. From the perspective of consumers and buyers, quality was exceptional and attractive pricing opportunities.
The Los Mochis region, one of two main production zones in the state of Sinaloa, normally signals the end of the Mexican season -with the beginning of untreated fruit, or fruit grown in USDA-APHIS fruit fly free zones. This season, only a few hundred miles south, around the El Rosario region, organic treated fruit still flourishes. The Los Mochis area is known to produce big fruit –mainly the Keitt varietal, and this season a little rain pushed size up quickly.
Empaque Don Jorge packing house
Noe Arias, organic manager of Amazon Produce, confirms the difficulties in selling larger sized 3/4/5counts into the organic market, “There seems to be very little interest as a whole in very large size organic mangoes,” he said.
Arias expects light demand for the remainder of the Mexico season, which should slide into October. He is quick to note that growers will eventually stop packing organic mangoes if the fruit gets too big. They either push it through conventional channels, or sell to the processors who covet the big, small-pitted varietal.
The interesting plot twist of the season is happening just south of Los Mochis, where growers are still picking and packing small fruit. Where normally they ‘d be long closed A handful of packhouses in this area are still open. According to Jose Angel Crespo, of RCF Distributors and Empaque Don Jorge (the largest hydro-thermic mango packing house in Latin America) they continue picking and packing smaller organic Kietts and event Kents. “Many growers in the area have cleverly found ways to prolong the season, planting late season Keitts in areas with little water, where Keitts tend to stay smaller,” Crespo said.
California
The California mango season is timed to begin when the Mexico season winds down, according to Tom Underwood of Corona College Heights. The company times the harvest to eliminate all possible gaps in the market, making this transition the most important bridge for successful year-round organic mango programs.
The California Keitt, grown in the Coachella Valley, is essentially the only commercially grown domestic organic mango available on the market.
According to Underwood, Corona Heights expects to have a larger crop this year with better sizing. He credits moderate sizing for an increase in market enthusiasm and feels confident that ample supplies will be available through Halloween, possibly later.
Ecuador
While the Ecuadorian organic mango season typically starts in October, this year will be starting a bit late, but producers are optimistic about quality and volumes.
“Low night temperatures leading into the season helped bring about good bloom,” according to Ricardo Chiriboga, director of Pilot S.A., one of only a few certified organic farms/exporters in Ecuador. With fruit set finalized, Chiriboga said Pilot’s will have about a 20 percent increase in Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins varieties, with Kents about the same as the previous year.
Ricardo Chiriboga
Pilot grows on three farms, totaling about 130 hectares, all certified organic and fair-trade. Chiriboga anticipates the company will export from mid-October through the end of December with a majority focus on USA markets and 30 percent of volume through Europe and other countries.
Chiriboga said the biggest obstacle Ecuadorian producers face are often challenging returns and a declining local processing market. “He said overall, overall organic volumes are decreasing.” Citing three different farms withdrawing from organic production with no new production planned; as many growers have not received the premium needed for optimal organic success.
The first containers of organic fruit from Ecuador should land in the USA at October’s end.
PERU
It’s no secret that Peru has suffered significant challenges over the past few mango seasons, brought on by severe and unpredictable weather cycles. Currently, most producers expect to begin shipping organic fruit the last week of November.
Chris Ford, Organic category manager at Oppy, said Peru produces three varietals and notes “that the US markets will mainly see Kent and a few Haden’s."
Chris Ford, organic category manager, Oppy
Ford said it is important to keep eyes on the hydrothermal situation unfolding in Europe where stricter phytosanitary mandates have been set in motion to protect Spanish and Portuguese crops.
Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico, along with many other countries, will be required to hydrothermally treat all organic mangoes before exporting to Europe. Most predict the the mandate will take effect until next year, but all are certain that major market shifts will occur when it does.
