Retail, consumer demand strong for summer citrus
Customers will want the first fruit available from South Africa, said Chuck Yow, director of U.S. sales and business development with Capesan North America, Gloucester, N.J.
“We will see South African navels start to arrive around June 21, and demand will be strong for the first few weeks until the supply side can catch up with the demand side,” Yow said.
By the middle of July, things will stabilize and there will be product to offer for summer navel promotions, he said.
Yow said that California mandarins will run later than normal this year, possibly ending in early June. “By then we will have our South African program ready and waiting,” Yow said.
With the continued growth of the mandarin category in recent years, “we anticipate heavy demand during summer months due to the popularity and growth of mandarins,” he said.
“We believe that clementine and mandarin demand will be strong mid-May and that navel demand should pick up mid-July,” said Miles Fraser-Jones, director of global business development with Seven Seas Global Produce Network, Iselin, N.J.
Fraser-Jones said South African clementine arrivals should be the first or second week of June; other suppliers will reap the benefit of the strong market conditions while South Africa follows behind.
“The reason for the strong demand is due to the adverse winter conditions experienced in California. The weather plays a direct role in the quality of the fruit and it is believed that the Californian supply will end earlier due to this,” Fraser-Jones said.
Grapefruit will see strong demand from retailers after the California season ends, Yow said.
“We feel that early arrivals of grapefruit will also have competition from California but as we proceed from August and into the fall, there will be only import fruit available,” Yow said.
The bulk of grapefruit imports will be the star ruby variety.
Summer citrus is a proven, reliable and profitable program, said Kimberly Flores, marketing director with Seald Sweet International, Vero Beach, Fla.
The average citrus consumer wants citrus year-round, regardless of the sea
