Posts Tagged “Papaya imports”
Some tropical fruit crops have been plagued by weather at the beginning of this year’s hurricane season in some growing regions, while the lasting effects of the 2017 hurricane season continues to be felt in Florida.
Despite these issues, adequate tropical fruit shipments should continue through the fall.
Mangoes
Entering the last several weeks of the Mexican mango shipping season, 64 million boxes had been shipped through July. A total of 83.6 million boxes is projected for the season, about 2 million more boxes than last year.
Kent and keitt are the two predominant varieties coming from the northern states of Mexico for the remainder of the season. This fall, the transition to off shore mangoes from Brazil, Ecuador and Peru occur with tommy atkins and ataulfo/honey mangoes from Brazil and Ecuador and kents from Peru.
The first shipments of Brazilian mangoes arrived in mid- to late August, followed by Ecuadoran fruit in the last half of September.
Avocados
Florida avocado production is still seeing the fallout from Hurricane Irma about a year ago.
Unity Groves Corp., of Homestead, FL ships green-skin avocados, and is facing a rebuilding years resulting from the hurricane. Volume was slashed by 50 percent when normal shipments would be about 200,000 bushels. Still, avocado shipments by the company will continue through January.
Limes
Veracruz in Mexico’s prime growing region for limes, but production has been limited due to rains.
Amazon Produce Network reports there were some harvesting issues due to weather affecting crossings from Mexico into South Texas, but this has improved.
Unity Groves Corp has noted its Florida lime shipments will be about 50 percent less this year due to Hurricane Irma a year ago.
Others
World Variety Produce of Los Angeles notes there should be normal shipments of other tropical fruits. Jackfruit got underway in the last half of September and will be available through the fall. Yellow Dragon from Ecuador is now in normal supply. Good volumes with white and red dragon fruit out of Vietnam is expected, while red flesh dragon fruits is typically more limited.
It remains to be see whether passion fruit shipments from California will be hurt by hot weather during the growing season.
Taiwan’s starfruit season was launched at the end of September.
Thomas Fresh of Calgary, Alberta sees high volumes of dragon fruit, pummelo, star fruit and cracked coconut.
HLB Specialties of Pompano Beach, FL handled its first Mexican organic formosa papayas in mid-September. Brazilian golden papaya imports improved in September. Additionally, imports of Guatemalan rambutan season will continue until mid-November, and Honduras got underway in early September with good production.
Yellow dragon fruit from Ecuador stared in early September.
Late summer in the U.S. means increasing imports of items ranging from Canadian potatoes to various tropical fruits from several countries.
Prince Edward Island Potato Shipments
Prince Edward Island potato shipments from Eastern Canada could be down slightly this year due to less yields and planted acreage. Potato diggings typically start in late September. For example, Garden Isle Farms, Albany, Prince Edward Island, expects to begin digging the week of September 26th.
PEI potato growers have about 89,000 acres of potatoes were planted this year, 500 less than in 2015. PEI’s fresh-crop mix of russets, yellows, reds and whites should remain fairly steady, with the trend of fewer white potatoes continuing. Harvest should begin in the last week of September, with russets following at the beginning of October,
Processing markets may take a little higher percentage of the crop this year, with about 30 percent going to the fresh market. While some growers are looking at new yellow varieties, production still remains mostly russets.
Mango Imports
With Mexican imported mangos finishing the season within the next week or so, the focus will shift to Brazilian imported mangoes. Boats of Brazilian fruit began arriving at U.S. ports in August and should continue until November, with the peak volume coming in mid- to late October. Additionally imported mangoes are arriving from Ecuador and arrivals should hit record levels in late October or early November.
Pineapple Imports
Pineapples from Costa Rica face a normal production gap from mid-August to mid-September and it has been a so-so season due to weather factors.
Papaya Imports
Boat arrivals of golden papaya out of Brazil should experience increased volume by the second week of September. There also are papaya imports from Guatemala.
Lime Imports
Imported limes are arriving from Mexico, Ecuador, Columbia and Guatemala. Volumes are now increasing some, but are considered to be normal.