Two major Peruvian mango growers say abundant flowering this season is likely to push up year-on-year production and export figures by nearly a third. 

Speaking to www.freshfruitportal.com at the Expoalimentaria trade fair held in the capital Lima last week, a representative of Piura-based Dominus said a mild winter was largely to thank for the growth expectations.

"This campaign the minimum temperatures in Piura reached 15°C and this really helped with the flowering stage," general manager Victor Morales said.

"There has been in excess of 90% flowering in all the mango valleys, so we are expecting a super production this year.

"I estimate that it will about around 25-30% more than the previous campaign. Maybe a total of around 6,000 containers of fresh mangos should be shipped."

Morales said his European clients were pleased with the high production forecast and the expectations for a range of fruit sizes.

"We are forecasting a range of sizes that will allow them to market the fruit well, and they can therefore avoid saturating the market with too much of one size, which can cause prices to fall," he said.

Dominus invested in a processing plant two years ago with an IQF (Instant Quick Freezing) line in order to take surplus volumes of certain sizes off the market if necessary.

The company has around 120 hectares of its own production, and also buys from associated growers who produce across 600 hectares in the north of the country.

Morales said the season for the early varieties like Keitt should begin in mid-November, with Kent kicking off int he first half of December. Peak volumes are expected in January.

Dominus mainly ships to Europe, and two years ago began exports to the U.S. and Canada.

This year will see the first exports of mangoes to Asia, where South Korea and China will be the key markets.

Morales said the trial shipments this coming season would be limited, but he expected to ramp up volumes for the next campaign and believed Asia would become a strong focus in the future.

"This season we expect to ship maybe 10 containers to Asia, or 20 maximum," he said.

Morales added he wanted to increase volumes to the U.S. market but said the lack of ripening facilities in the country was problematic.

"In Europe we work with companies that mature mangoes, and all the mangoes that we sell there are ripe and ready to eat," he said.

"In the U.S. that could help to improve the market. There’s a big difference for consumers between buying a green mango that you have to ripen yourself and one that's ready to eat.

"We have high expectations for finding a company in the U.S. that is interested in developing this with us, and we are speaking with some at the moment."

Another Peruvian mango grower, Agromar Industrial, has projected a similar growth in volumes this season and does not believe returns will be affected.

"Exports will increase by 25-30% in both price and volume," junior commercial manager Brett Steven Medina Castillo said.

"The reason for prices remaining high despite the increased volume is because this year Peru will be shipping more organic fruit."

Castillo agreed that the industry had experienced an excellent flowering process compared to last year, which was affected by El Niño, but believed the abundant fruit volumes would lead to smaller sizings.

www.freshfruitportal.com