Generic mangoes

The US market is expected to receive fewer mangoes from South America this season given that Peruvian sendings are on course to fall by 12 per cent, while Ecuadorean volume will rise only slightly.

Exports from Peru are forecast to decline to 7.3m cartons in 2010/11, according to the latest crop report from the US Mango Board, compared with 8.5m cartons shipped in 2009/10.

The Peruvian season began in mid-November and will run through the beginning of April 2011.

The mango board said US importers received light volume in November as only a few packhouses were operational.

Ecuador, meanwhile, is estimated to send 7.5m cartons of mangoes in 2010/11, up slightly from 7.4m cartons in the previous season, according to the report.

The Ecuadorean season began in early November and runs until mid-January, with high volume already supplied between mid November and mid December.

In previous seasons, Ecuador has sent approximately 60 per cent of its total US-destined mango volume to the West Coast and 40 per cent to the East Coast, the association said.