Mangoes, papayas continue to grow
Imports of mangoes and papayas have shown strong growth over the past decade.
U.S. imports of fresh mangoes grew 6% in 2017 and are up more than 50% by volume from 2010, according to the most recent trade data.
Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Guatemala are the leading suppliers of mangoes to the U.S. according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Mexico accounted for 66% of total U.S. mango imports in 2017. Mexico supplied 352,000 metric tons to the U.S. in 2017, up 8% from a year ago and 47% higher compared with 2010.
Peru accounted for 12% of the total U.S. mango imports in 2017, followed by Ecuador with 9%, Brazil with 6%, and Guatemala with 3%.
Angela Serna, communications manager of the National Mango Board, said Ecuador’s mango season, which began in September, is expected to run until the last week of December.
Total volume projection is expected at 12.4 million cartons, slightly higher than the 2017 season.
Meanwhile, Serna said Peruvian mango exports to the U.S. began in mid-November and will run until mid-March with a projection of 11 million boxes. That is 12% less than the 2017-18 season, she said.
Guatemala’s mango season is expected to start in March, but Serna said it is too early to give volume projections for their 2019 season.
Shipments from southern Mexico will start in mid- to late January and the volume should pick up by mid-February.
Mexico’s season will run from January to September and no volume projections are available yet for Mexico.
Papayas
For fresh papayas, USDA trade data shows that imports have increased from 153,891 metric tons in 2010 to more than 194,759 metric tons in 2017, growth of 27%. Imports of papayas in 2017 actually declined 5% compared with 2016, when 204,868 metric tons were imported.
The leading suppliers of papayas to the U.S. in 2017 were Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Jamaica, according to the USDA.
Red papayas from Guatemala and Belize have seen a growth of just over 15% in 2018 compared with 2017, said Robert Schueller, director of marketing with Los Angeles-based World Variety Produce, which markets under the Melissa’s label.
Mexico accounted for 80% of U.S. papaya imports in 2017, compared with 75% in 2010. Guatemala represented 17% of U.S fresh papaya imports in 2017, compared with just 2% in 2010.
Brazil’s share of U.S. papaya imports in 2017 totaled 1%, down from 2% in 2010. Jamaica accounted for less 1% of total U.S. papaya imports in 2017 and 2010.
