Mango volume in Sinaloa drops 60 percent due to drought

The Sinaloa mango season faced significant production challenges this year, with industry sources reporting a 60 percent drop in production. Drought conditions and late-season weather events in the northwestern Mexican state contributed to a shortened harvest, resulting in a 75 percent decrease in exports from the region.

Porfirio Salas Castillo, leader of mango producers in the region and secretary of Southern Sinaloa’s Plant Health Board, told local media outlet Sector Primario Informativo that in 2024 the region exported nearly 160,000 tons of the fruit to markets in the United States, Japan, and Europe. This year, the figure only reached about 40,000 tons.

Severe drought slashed production

Salas Castillo said two consecutive years of drought have resulted in poor yields and low fruit quality. As of late August, only about 10 percent of the mangoes of the Keitt variety—typically the last to be harvested—remained in the field.

"It was definitely the lack of moisture that damaged our fruit. We didn’t have it either last year or this year, so the mango came out deformed and dehydrated,” he said in an interview with Los Noticieristas. “It didn’t complete the cycle it needs to become good fruit. The year before last, I said we were at 80 percent, last year we were at 70, and now you could say we’re at 40 or 50 percent.”

Adding to the financial pressure, the price per kilogram of mango started at approximately $0.17 and dropped to about $0.11 by the end of the season, further deepening losses for growers.

Ongoing issues with fruit fly infestations are also weighing on growers, particularly due to the added cost of the hydrothermal treatment required for exports in the south. In contrast, growers in northern Sinaloa can ship fruit without this requirement, often obtaining a higher profit.

Related articles:

U.S. mango imports up 9%, Mexican season forecasts show growth

Marketing and education—The National Mango Board's multi-pronged strategy to drive year-round mango sales