Agronometrics Shorts: Peruvian Mango Industry Faces a Tough Season Amidst Oversupply and Price Declines

The Peruvian mango industry is facing a challenging season as low prices and oversupply put pressure on producers, particularly small and medium-sized growers. A combination of favorable growing conditions, an accelerated harvest cycle, and overlapping production windows has led to a market saturated with fruit, leaving farmers struggling to find buyers.

After a weak 2023 season caused by climate-related disruptions, this year’s crop rebounded strongly, but with unexpectedly high yields that have outpaced demand. The regions of Piura and Lambayeque, the country’s key mango-growing areas, have produced an abundance of fruit, causing prices to plummet both domestically and internationally.

This season’s volume is comparable to pre-2023 levels, but a key factor driving this crisis has been the shortened harvest window caused by Peru’s water scarcity issues. Drought conditions during the flowering period forced mango trees to accelerate fruit development, leading to early maturation and a compressed harvest. As a result, what was originally expected to be a gradual harvest extending into April will now conclude by mid-February, creating a surplus in a short period. Adding to the oversupply crisis, Peruvian mangoes have faced intense competition in the international market. The earlier-than-usual harvest in Piura coincided with peak production in Lambayeque, flooding the local market with excess fruit. At the same time, Mexico’s mango harvest overlapped with Peru’s, further limiting export opportunities. Despite Peru’s strong export footprint, shipments of fresh mangoes declined by 4% in volume and 27% in value in 2024, reaching 333,905 tons worth $194.9 million. Prices in the US market in week 5 were 63% lower than those recorded in week 5 of the 2023/24 season.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Written by Sarah Ilyas