Exports of Mexican avocados have got off to a relatively slow start for the 2016/17 season, which commences in July and runs through to June.
A combination of adverse weather, which delayed fruit maturity, as well as labour strife, has brought the Mexican avocado harvest to a virtual standstill in recent weeks.
As of mid-October, however, both the weather and labour issues appeared to be rapidly clearing up, allowing the Mexican exporting season to finally get underway.
How much fruit and how soon it begins heading toward Asian markets depends on how quickly the field costs for Mexican fruit begin ease off. According to reports, prices had been hovering at the astronomical level of 60 pesos per kilo in recent weeks, causing the US wholesale market to balloon to as much as US$75 per carton (11.4kg) for 48-count fruit.
“A number of factors have contributed to very little fruit being exported to Asia,” said Ron Araiza of California-based Del Rey Avocado. “The current stoppage of harvest from growers in Michaocan has been the main issue. But this is the time of year where extreme rains hit [the growing areas], which is always a problem. I expect Mexico to be in a normal flow by 1 November, however.”
Once production gets underway in earnest, there should be ample availability of the 60- and 70-count fruit the Chinese market prefers.
“The new crop is quite large again this year, with a size curve that seems to favour the smaller fruit,” said Mark Buhl of Index Fresh, another California company long involved in the Mexican industry. “Quality is quite good and maturity is starting to improve as we come out of a very wet August and September.”
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