Mexican mango exports to the United States and other markets have registered a significant decrease due to the restrictions imposed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and drought conditions. According to José Ángel Crespo, president of Empacadoras de Mango de Exportación (EMEX), Mexican mango exports fell by more than 3.52 million boxes because of a fall in production and operational restrictions that didn't allow working on Sundays.
Despite these challenges, Mexico expects to export more than 62 million boxes of mango this year to the United States, the biggest buyer of this fruit. This is less than the almost 66 million boxes of mango it sold to this market in 2023 or the more than 64 million boxes in 2022 from key producing states such as Sinaloa, Guerrero, Nayarit, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Jalisco, and Colima.
Mexico also sells mangoes to Canada, Spain, Japan, and France, among other destinations. However, production has been affected by US government restrictions, especially in hydrothermal processes in southern Mexico. The lack of operations on Sundays has reduced the export potential by 10% to 15%, according to Crespo.
Competitors like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Peru also influence the US mango market. However, the decrease in mango production has limited the availability of fruit for both the domestic and export markets. This year, there has been enough rainfall after the mango season in Oaxaca, Chiapas, Nayarit, and southern Sinaloa, which favors better mango production.
Mexico's mango production, which includes varieties such as Haden, Tommy, Kent, and Keitt, begins in January and ends in September each year, mainly with Ataulfo mangoes. Sergio Roberto Márquez Berber, a researcher at the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, has warned of a possible decrease in production in 2025 in some areas, such as Nayarit, due to climate change and drought.
This scenario poses challenges for the national mango market, which could face a decrease in the availability of this fruit. Daniel Ibarra, president of the Free Zone Mango Producers Association, said producers in certain municipalities of Sinaloa export significant quantities of mango, even though the Free Zone represents a late season for Mexico's mango production.
Source: forbes.com.mx