"After a summer that could have been better in terms of prices, we are seeing an upturn in the lime market. We've gone from 5-6 euros per pack to 9-10 euros per pack for Brazilian product. But overall, there is not as much supply. In Brazil, we are seeing declining production, blight, and other local problems. On top of that, a new trend is starting to appear on the horizon: Brazilian growers are no longer willing to consign their citrus to Europe," says Giorgio Donnarumma, Sales Manager for Milan-based Nuovafrutta. Lime is one of the company's best-selling products.
Brazilian lime
"The current price is in line with the product: it allows a fair remuneration for the producer, a commission for the intermediary and a fair price for the consumer," continues Donnarumma. "We expect a stable market for the Brazilian product until Christmas, also due to the absence of large volumes. If in the summer we were talking about an average of 100 containers a week, this number has been gradually decreasing. In weeks 41 and 42, there was an average of 69 containers per week in Europe.
However, the Italian sales manager points out that containers from Colombia are also on the way. "Colombian limes have become much better in the last two years and are now starting to get noticed by major groups. In fact, prior to this, the product was considered to be a second-class citrus fruit. The aesthetics of the lime are still a long way from what is desired, but they are trying to make improvements in this area as well".
Colombian Lime
According to Donnarumma, Mexican lime has always been a little more expensive. And even from Mexico, volumes destined for Europe are not that plentiful.
In September and partly in October, we had a lot of Spanish lime. "There is definitely an improvement in quality. In general, we can say that the average consumption of lime has increased in recent years. As a result, imported volumes have also increased. The market does not always offer the opportunity to maintain high prices. At the moment, prices are medium-high. We hope that they will remain so for as long as possible," says Donnarumma.
Italian limes get a special mention
"For about a month now, we have been working with a good-looking
Sicilian product, which remains in line with Brazilian prices. Slightly higher volumes have entered the market this year, although it remains a niche product. I am sorry that some colleagues do not take Italian lime into consideration. It is actually much improved. Admittedly, the processing and packaging of the product are still deficient, and the Italian origin is not necessarily a criterion to increase the price, but it is worthwhile to consider it," Donnarumma concluded.
Article images courtesy of Giorgio Donnarumma