Peru’s mango export volumes are expected to be heavily affected by the ongoing drought in the country.
The Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM), reports Peru could export about 200,000 metric tons (MT) of mangoes in the 2020-21 shipping season, which will begin in November. This volume would be much lower than the record 234,000MT exported in the previous year, and cannot be completely explained by having high volume one season and lower volume the next.
There are other other variables in the forecast such as drought. The reservoirs are reaching historical minimum levels, with a lack of rain on the Peruvian coast, especially on the north coast, that could affect all the crops on the coast, including mangoes.
Mango plants needed to be constantly watered at this stage of their growth so that the fruit reaches the size the market requires. There also was a La Niña phenomenon in development, reducing rain falls.
The San Lorenzo reservoir, which is currently at half its capacity, stores the water to irrigate all the crops installed in the San Lorenzo Valley (Piura), which is the main mango producing area.