Mexico supplies approximately 70 percent of mangos to the U.S. and are harvested from January to October, covering the summer months when demand is at its highest.

Angela Serna with the National Mango Board in Orlando, FL, said the southern Mexico mango crop is having a slow start and is currently two to three weeks behind compared to last year. 

“As we enter March, mango volumes will be similar to last year,” she said. “In April, the volume is projected to be on par compared to last year; however, volumes are expected to increase compared to last year as we enter the month of May.”

Gary Clevenger, chief operating officer of Freska Produce in Oxnard, CA, said Mexico’s slow start this year was due to weather that caused flowering to be late and flowers lost to wind.  

“We are behind around 1.5 million boxes,” he said. “Prices have remained higher due to the low volumes. The industry was doing 2.5 million cartons last year vs. 980,000 cartons this year at this time.”

Still, he said, mangos continue to grow on a per capita basis.

“Mangos are becoming more mainstream on the produce shelves, and those that do not realize this are losing out on sales of a healthy, delicious tropical flavor year round,” Clevenger said.

Sergio Palala, general manager with Splendid By Porvenir, based in San Bruno, CA, said it wasn’t unusual for Mexican mangos to start in January over the past couple of years, but it was very evident that this year was going to be behind.

“That means we are going to be lighter than we have grown accustomed to,” he said. “The regular volume will not come in until late March or April, and we expect a good crop, though not an over-abundant crop.”

Dissecting the season, Clevenger said the current crop out of Mexico is looking good on the Honey mangos out of southern Mexico, while Tommy Atkins have started to be picked and are also looking good as volumes in that ramp up.   

“I think we should see a normal season with volumes catching up to last year’s numbers,” he said. “Most of the regions have fruit just flowering so it’s going to be hard to predict, but there will be plenty of fruit out of Mexico this year.”

Palala said that there’s been more yellow fruit and the quality should be better than last year.

“The biggest challenge over the last six months has been the projected shipping volumes,” Serna said. “Due to changing climate patterns, volumes have been over or under the initial projections from several of the mango-producing regions. The NMB continues to work with our network of mango organizations and industry contacts to update the information as it becomes available.”

Clevenger said some of the biggest challenges facing the industry right now are how to improve production levels to keep up with demand and to be able to handle the on-going problems with pests, weather and social responsibility.  

“We as a company have been focusing on fair trade to make the farmers and workers in the industry be better compensated for the work they do,” he said. “This is a challenge brought on by our vendors and we’re meeting that challenge by certifying or working to certify all of our packing plants in Mexico.”