Colombia’s Sugar Mango Association is preparing for the first entry into the United States market, with arrivals beginning the second week of March.
Preparations for entry to the U.S. market have been underway for several years. U.S. consumers will get their first taste of this sweet, pocket-sized mango with a full marketing and social media campaign titled “We’re Small, Sweet, and Easy to Eat.”
These naturally grown “pocket mangos” easily fit in the palm of your hand, and are unique due to their ability to be eaten with their skin, making them an ideal treat for kids or anytime snacking.
Sweet Sugar Mangos have red and yellow, fragrant flesh with a sweet juicy taste and a brix level of 22. Unlike many other exotic mangos, sweet Sugar Mangos do not have a fibrous taste. These miniature mangos are grown naturally, non-GMO, and have a peak harvest season of April through August, with initial imports beginning in March.
Sugar Mangos are exclusively grown in Colombia’s tropical Caribbean Coast, close to Santa Marta. The tropical trade winds and unique soil create an ideal microclimate for this specialty fruit, with an edible skin, much thinner than traditional mangos. The fruit is highlighted for its extreme popularity in the region, known generically as “Mango de Azucar.”
Unlike the generic tree fruit, Sugar Mangos undergo a proprietary pre-harvest and cultivation method, with an immediate cool chain, and a patented, food-safe wash applied post-harvest to condition the fruit well for travel and the best possible taste and shelf life. The Sugar Mango Association is the manager of the Sugar Mango trademarks at origin and globally.
The Association and program are open to qualified growers, distributors, exporters, and importers via license. The variety and brand are trademarked at origin in Colombia, as well as in various international markets, including the United States.
“As with other extremely successful branded fruit programs, Sugar Mangos is designed to deliver a special and unique taste experience to the consumer, and to allow growers, distributors, exporters, and importers all align in a more precise way to ensure a consistent and quality taste experience,” commented Nicolas Mairon, development director for Sugar Mangos brand and licensing programs.
“We have been working for several years with family farmers to prepare this product for export, and for the high expectations of consumers in the North American and European markets. Sugar Mango is lucky to count some of the top regional growers, exporters, and importers as part of our brand.”
Sweet Sugar Mangos are offered commercially in 2 kilo (4.45 pound) cases, which hold between 17-22 mangos. Specially branded retail kits, POS signage, digital tools, and a social media campaign are all available to help merchandise and sell Sugar Mangos in store.
A limited quantity of 6,000-9,000 cases will be offered weekly in the United States for the initial seasons, with programs already being reserved by top grocers, distributors, and markets.
The exclusive importer of Sugar Mangos in the United States is Seasons Farm Fresh, Miami, FL.
IRI retail scan data shows that retail organic strawberry sales in 2021 totaled $447.6 million, up a whopping 22% from 2020.
Organic strawberries accounted for 12.2% of total retail strawberry sales in 2021, IRI data shows. Organic strawberries also represented nearly 6% of total organic produce sales in 2021, according to IRI.
Retailers in 2021 moved 98.5 million pounds of organic strawberries at an average retail price of $4.55 per pound, retail scan data reveals.
Southeast berry grower-shippers are expecting good-quality blueberries and blackberries this spring with decent volume.
Florida Classic Growers, Dundee, FL., is primarily a citrus shipper but added blueberries and peaches to its product line about 10 years ago.
The company produces four kinds of blueberries in the Polk County region in the central part of the state. Some varieties kick off early, while others come on later in the season, providing the company with berries from mid-March until around early May. Volume similar to last year is expected.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami anticipates a good crop of blueberries and blackberries this season. The operation sources its Southeast berries from Alabama and Georgia. Southeast blueberries will start shipping at the beginning of April, and blackberries will get underway in June.
Crystal Valley Foods expects to have increased volume on Southeast blueberries compared to last year, and blackberry volume should be similar to previous years.
Naturipe Farms of Salinas, CA reports the start of it blueberries and blackberries from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina will be a bit later this year due to weather factors. Volume is expected to be up from a year when there was significant damage in Georgia due to frost.
A significant share of northbound produce shipments from Mexico is coming through the Laredo port district of Texas, a new USDA report reveals.
Called the “U.S.-Mexico Agricultural Trade Logistics Review,” the report indicated that, excluding avocados, about 38% of Mexico’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports flow through Laredo crossings, 30% through Nogales and 17% through San Diego.
Much like fresh produce southbound from the U.S., Mexico’s exports of fresh fruits and vegetables are shipped almost exclusively by truck, the report said.
In value terms, the U.S. held a 64% market share of all agricultural and related exports to Mexico in 2021. During the same year, 81% of Mexico’s total agricultural exports went to the U.S.
While U.S. exports of fresh produce to Mexico often flow through the Western land ports such as Nogales, Ariz., and San Diego, the report said northbound shipments are more heavily oriented towards eastern commercial crossings in Texas.
“Some exceptions exist for products whose production zones in Mexico are in closer proximity to the Nogales/San Diego commercial crossings such as table grapes and watermelon,” the report said. “However, existing infrastructure, inspection capacity, and more direct access to the largest U.S. markets dictate more eastbound trade flows.”
In fact, U.S. imports of avocados from Mexico, totaling more than 1 million metric tons in 2021, are largely shipped through the Laredo district in Texas, the report said.
“Fresh tomatoes represent another product that is shipped at volume through the Laredo district throughout the year (especially through the McAllen port of entry),” the report said. However, the report said there are also seasonal increases through Nogales in the first half of the year with a less-pronounced increase through San Diego mid- to late year.
The report said a notable feature of Mexican fresh fruit and vegetable trade through the Laredo district is the extent to which certain products flow through certain port of entries.
“For example, a large majority of fresh fruit and vegetables transit through the Reynosa/McAllen port of entry as opposed to the Laredo/Colombia port of entries,” the report said.
Based on the geography of production zones for several fresh products in Mexico, the report said the Nogales port of entry is also a seasonally important conduit particularly of table grapes, watermelon and several vegetable varieties.
In 2021 and 2022, northbound agricultural trade from Mexico to the U.S. has been characterized by record values due in part to the current high-price environment for food and agricultural products, the report said.
“Strong consumer demand in the U.S. continues to contribute to record volumes of food and agricultural imports,” the report said.
Another feature of cross-border trade during COVID-19 was an increasing imbalance between north and southbound freight shipped via truck, with far more freight heading northbound than southbound, the report said.
“This imbalance is not new and for several years predating COVID, food and agricultural trade via truck was more heavily northbound-oriented. However, the imbalance sharpened in 2020 and 2021. A north-south imbalance that was traditionally 3-to-1 reached as high as 8-to-1 in late 2020. Also complicating the commercial truck area of the supply chain are driver shortages on both sides of the border.”
The report said the national trucking association in Mexico (CANACAR) estimated that Mexico has a shortage of up to 50,000 truckers.
Fresh Farms of Rio Rico, AZ who also grows produce in Mexico is increasing its grape volume by one million cartons this year.
The grower/shipper has a wide range of fruits and vegetables with year-round availability. The firm also produces conventional and organic produce.
The company is growing its grape volume both in Jalisco and Sonora.
Jalisco volume will start in late March with a green grape harvest. Total Mexican grape volume for the company should be nearly 6.5 million cartons in 2023, up about a million cartons from a year ago.
Most of that volume is in newer varieties, such as Cotton Candy, Candy Snaps, Candy Hears, Candy Dreams, Sweet Globes, Sapphires and more.
Fresh Farms also has soft and hard squashes, green peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, corn, watermelon and other items.
The company is growing its melons category dramatically due to increasing demand.
For all of its commodities the operation is seeking to expand availability. Last year the company shipped over 12 million boxes of produce, up from about 2.8 million boxes in 2009.
A 9.7% decrease from last season in table grape shipments is forecast by Chile’s Association of Fruit Exporters (ASOEX) .
ASOEX reports the fifth estimate of the Table Grape Committee projects a significant increase in shipments of new varieties.
Shipments are expected to reach 67.1 million boxes of 8.2 kilos. This is a 9.7% drop compared to the 2021-2022 season, and a slight decrease with respect to the Committee’s fourth estimate of almost 1%.
The industry is optimistic about quality due in large part to new varieties, totalling 54% of total grape shipments for the upcoming season.
The new forecast exports predicts 67.1 million boxes. Of this amount, 36 million boxes will be of new varieties, while 19.5 million boxes will consist of traditional varieties.
The Chilean table grape industry is changing, which is highlighted this season, with the production increase of new varieties and improving quality.
In the 2012-2013 season, Chile exported more than 27 million boxes of Red Globe grapes and traditional grapes reached 75.6 million boxes. While in the same period, new varieties accounted for only 1.8 million boxes.
In the case of new red varieties, exports are expected to reach 18.4 million cases, including Timco, Allison, Sweet Celebration, Scarlotta Seedless, Arra 29, Jack Salute, Candy Hearts, and Ralli Seedless.
New white grapes are expected to ship 13.6 million cases, including Arra 15, Timpson, Sweet Globe, Autumn Crisp, Blanc Seedless and Cotton Candy.
Meanwhile, exports of new black grape varieties are expected to total 4.4 million cases, including Sweet Flavors, Sable Seedless, Sapphire, Maylen and Midnight Beauty.
Retail per capita availability of fresh tangerines/tangelos and mandarins has increased 187% since 2000, USDA statistics show. This has been helped by a doubling of domestic production and a quadrupling of imports.
Retail 2020 per capita consumption of tangerines/tangelos/mandarins was 6.3 pounds, up from 2.7 pounds in 2000.
The total U.S. supply of soft citrus varieties was 2.3 billion pounds in 2020, with 1.42 billion pounds supplied by domestic production and 862 million pounds from imports.
That compares with 870 million pounds of total supply in 2000, when 657 million pounds were grown in the U.S. and 220 million pounds were imported.
The share of supply provided by imports rose from 24% in 2000 to 37% in 2020, according to the USDA.
The Peruvian avocado industry is looking to export an estimated 624,000 tons of the fruit in the 2023 season, an increase of nearly 13 percent, according to the Peruvian Association of Hass Avocado Producers (ProHass).
Despite political turmoil in Peru the last days of 2022, the industry managed to meet the estimates for the end of the season, recording only a delay in shipments due to the influence of La Nina on crops.
The growth in avocado production is the result of the investments the industry has made in previous years. Additionally, a significant number of trees that have reached maturity, boosting the current season’s production.
ProHass expects the huge U.S. market to have enormous potential for Peru.
The U.S. is close in proximity, although, Mexico’s closeness allows it to have the product on shelves practically two days after harvesting. This makes it a very challenging market for Peruvian avocados. However, ProHass points out its product has been well received during Mexico’s off months, from May to July, which is the peak for Peru.
Chile is also a natural market for Peruvian avocado, representing 10-15% of all exports.
This year in particular Chile has little production, so ProHass estimates 15 and 20% of its product will be exported to Chile.
The U.S. imports of many fruits and vegetables are dominated by product from Mexico, with numerous fresh produce commodities showing double-digit gains in value over the last two years, USDA statistics show.
Avocados are the top-valued U.S. fresh produce commodity imported from Mexico, USDA statistics show.
U.S. imports of Mexican avocados totaled $2.9 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, up 13% from the previous year and up 31% from two years ago. Mexican avocados accounted for 88% of the value of all U.S. avocado imports in 2022, down from 91% the previous year but the same percentage as five years ago.
The second-biggest U.S. import category of Mexican produce was berries (excluding strawberries), valued at $2.49 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, up 15% from the previous year and up 37% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 59% of U.S. berry imports (excluding strawberries) in 2022, up from 58% the previous year and up from 55% five years ago.
Mexican tomatoes were the third-leading U.S. produce import from December 2021 through November 2022, accounting for $2.43 billion. That is up 3% from the previous year and up 3% from two years ago.
Mexico accounted for about 86% of all U.S. tomato imports in 2022, up from 85% the previous year and up from 84% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh peppers totaled $1.44 billion from December 2021 through November 2022, down 3% from the previous year but up 12% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for about 76% of total U.S. fresh pepper imports in 2022, down from 77% the previous year but up from 70% five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh and frozen strawberries from December 2021 through November 2022 totaled $1.2 billion, down 2% from the previous year but up 24% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for about 85% of total U.S. strawberry imports in 2022, down from 87% a year ago and down from 94% five years ago.
U.S. imports of citrus totaled $788.8 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 18% from the previous year and up 50% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 43% of U.S. citrus imports in 2022, up from 42% the previous year and up 39% from five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh cucumbers totaled $693.4 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 8% from the previous year and up 13% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 62% of total U.S. fresh cucumber imports in 2022, down from 64% the previous year and down from 68% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh grapes totaled $659.4 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 16% from the previous year and up 28% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 30% of total U.S. grape imports in 2022, down from 31% the previous year and down from 32% five years ago.
U.S. imports of fresh lettuce totaled $532 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 31% from the previous year and up 52% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 88% of U.S. fresh lettuce imports in 2022, unchanged from the previous year and up from 85% five years ago.
Mexican mango imports have been steadily rising, USDA statistics show.
From December 2021 through November 2022, U.S. imports of Mexican mangoes were $468 million, up 11% from the previous year and up 24% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 62% of total U.S. mango imports in 2022, up from 59% the previous year but down from 63% five years ago.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh melons totaled $410 million from December 2021 through November 2022, up 13% from the previous year and up 20% from two years ago. Mexico accounted for 59% of total U.S. melon imports in 2022, up from 57% the previous year and up from 49% five years ago.
Other U.S. imports of Mexican commodities, with imports from December 2021 through November 2022, with percent change from the previous year, according to USDA statistics:
Florida blueberry shipments got underway with limited volume in late February, but more consistent, heavier loadings are taking place moving further into March. Shipments will continue into May with peak loadings occurring in April.
Florida is expecting a 20 million pound crop during the peak six to eight-week timeframe.
This is a similar volume compared to last year, however, since so many new varieties are being planted, the current volume will consist of better genetic fruit.
The Peruvian season, which ended in December, had high-quality fruit, contrary to the Chilean fruit which is currently supplying the market For this reason, buyers are eager to get into the domestic volume as soon as possible.
H&A Farms of Mount Dora, FL reports the big growth of the blueberry industry in the southeast industry came between 2007 and 2013 with all the original varieties. However, those plants are aging out, causing a huge demand for new plants to go into the ground.
Now there are many new high-quality proprietary genetics going into the ground. An estimated 70% of all the acreage in the southeast was planted during a seven-year period of time and those plants are becoming less productive, and now it’s time to replant them.
Hill believes that growers that don’t replant with new varieties and don’t commit to the long term will go out of business.
The number of growers has already decreased by more than half in Florida, and it will keep going down over the next 10 to 15 years.
Those 20 to 30 growers remaining are increasing their acreage with better genetics to compete on the quality side.
