The ugly, but tasty Gold Nugget mandarin shipments are underway, while an increase in imports of Mexican mangoes are seen…Finally, here’s a glimpse at American’s imports and exports of fresh produce.
Mandarin Shipments
Gold Nugget mandarins are now being shippe by Bee Sweet Citrus of Fowler, CA.through March.
Gold Nuggets, which will be shipped through March, have a bumpy exterior with a bright orange easy-peel rind and a sweet flavor..
Gold Nuggets are every citrus lover’s dream,” director of communications Monique Bienvenue said in a press release. “Not only are have they been voted to be one of the best-tasting mandarin varieties by a professional taste panel, they’re also easy-to-peel and are virtually seedless.”
The fruit is good for snacking, for salads or even for marmalade.
Mexican Mango Imports
Mexican mango imports by the U.S. began arriving about a month ago with ataulfo variety, arriving from the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Michoacán. The forecast calls for volumes and quality are going to be much better than last year out of Southern Mexico. About 29 million boxes of mangoes will be shipped through the week of May 19, an increase of 5 percent from the same period in 2017. The Mexican mango shipments are expected to continue growing in volume, driven in large part by increasing production in the Los Mochis area in northern Sinaloa.
Produce Imports and Exports
U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable exports will increase from $7 billion in 2016 to $8.5 billion in 2027, a gain of 21.4 percent over 10 years. A much faster increase is seen for imports of fresh fruits and vegetables. Imports of fresh produce will climb from $19.2 billion in 2016 to $32.1 billion in 2027, a gain of 68.9 percent over a decade.
“Growing consumer incomes, coupled with a demand for a wide variety of food, drives increases in U.S. agricultural imports over the projection period,” the USDA said, noting that the 4 percent annual growth in horticultural imports is largely driven by active fresh fruit and vegetable sales.