The Mexican lychee season started in mid May southern Mexico, with the states of Oaxaca, Veracruz and San Luis Potosi.
Importer Freshway Produce of Miami, FL reports the crop is looking very good. The season in this part of Mexico runs until mid-June, before it moves up north to Sinaloa where lychees are typically harvested between mid-June and mid-July. The entire season only lasts eight weeks at most.
Mexico’s proximity to the U.S. market is a huge advantage. Within 72 hours of harvest, lychees cross the border in McAllen, TX, Freshway notes. Harvesting, packing, shipping, and delivery in McAllen all happens within two days. From there, lychees are distributed throughout the U.S. and Canada.
While the outlook for the season is favorable, lychees are a very sensitive fruit. Warm and sunny weather causes the fruit to ripen at a high pace, and harvesters won’t be able to keep up. Hot weather is the biggest enemy of lychees as they are susceptible to sun damage. So if these pitfalls are avoided, the company sees a very nice season.